Meffert talks clean energy and jobs in St. Michael and Maple Grove

(July 1) Maple Grove, MN – Third District U.S. House candidate Jim Meffert visited the Minneapolis Electrical Training facility this morning to learn about advancements that are creating Minnesota jobs through green energy technology. Meffert then visited the new Maple Grove Public Library, which incorporates green design and high-efficiency features to reduce energy consumption. Meffert issued the following statement to press at the library:

“The Gulf crisis is a wake-up call for all of us, and America needs to get serious about transitioning to renewable energy sources right now. In Congress, I will lead the effort to redesign our energy policy around homegrown technologies that will produce safe, reliable, and sustainable power over the long term. I will also be a strong advocate for the local companies and businesses that will be at the foundation of our clean energy economy.

“The clean energy revolution is already starting right here in places like the Minneapolis Electrical Training Facility in St. Michael, where local electrical apprentices are learning to install solar panels and other green technology; TenK Solar in Bloomington, a company that produces high-efficiency solar panels for homes and businesses; and Great River Energy, the nonprofit electric cooperative based in Maple Grove that integrates wind, biomass, and other renewable sources to provide power for more than 1.7 million Minnesotans. These organizations show us just the beginning of what is possible for clean energy when we decide to work together and change our national energy strategy.

“But too many of our elected officials continue to support a status quo energy strategy that will keep us dependent on fossil fuels far into the future. Congressman Erik Paulsen, for example, has been a big advocate for offshore drilling, while accepting campaign contributions from oil companies and industry PACs and voting against tax incentives for renewable energy. Those attitudes and associations are holding us back from delivering a new energy strategy that is truly safe, sustainable, and economically beneficial for all of us.

“We need to start viewing government as a tool and not as an enemy. We also need to create an energy policy that will produce safe and reliable power without risking the enormous devastation that is still occurring in the Gulf. This will mean investing in homegrown technologies including wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels that will not only be safer and more sustainable, but also create the kind of good jobs we need in Minnesota and around the country.”

Background:

New Maple Grove Public Library: The new library opened in late May and features a number of green design components. The large floor to ceiling windows reduce energy use, and the automated light fixtures adjust to complement the level of natural light int he building. There is a green roof, which uses plant life to control rain runoff and keep the building cool. Additionally, the building has a geothermal heating and cooling system that will help reduce energy use.

Facilities like the Minneapolis Electrical Training Facility in St. Michael, which Jim will be touring tomorrow, are creating the clean energy economy we need, along with good jobs, right here in Minnesota. While it is just outside of the Third District, lots of the workers and apprentices who train there are Third District residents.

The Minneapolis Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee is a non-profit organization jointly sponsored by Minneapolis Chapter of NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) and Local Union 292 IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).

The JATC built and operates the 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art training center, the Minneapolis Electrical Training Facility in St. Michael. The facility was built as a joint venture of the Minneapolis Chapter of NECA and Local Union 292 IBEW at no expense to the taxpaying public.

The facility is home to one of the most up-to-date solar photovoltaic (arrays of cells that converts solar radiation into direct current electricity) training facilities in the country. Skilled IBEW electrical workers are trained in this challenging and fast-growing field, and also trained in other “green” technologies - Wind Energy, Programmable Controllers, Instrumentation, and high-efficiency lighting technologies.

Some recent projects completed by IBEW include Target Field, TCF Bank Stadium, Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center, the conversion of the Riverside Power Plant, upgrades at the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant, University Bioscience Building, and the new 35W bridge.

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