FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, MONDAY, SEPT. 13, 2004
EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS NOTE: THIS RELEASE WILL BE UPDATED LATER IN THE DAY.

HOWARD, South Dakota (Sept. 13, 2004) - A visit today to a wind-turbine remanufacturing facility launches the Green Bike tour 2004 as renewable energy supporters will ride bicycles through four states to draw attention to the potential of renewable energy development in the Midwest.

"We are very excited for a chance to see the EMS facility," said David Osterberg, executive director of the Iowa Policy Project, which is sponsoring the tour in conjunction with the Minnesota-based League of Rural Voters.

Rural communities in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin are on the itinerary for the six-day Green Bike Tour 2004, which will examine economic development through investments in wind, solar and bio-based fuels. Elected officials, energy producers, energy policy activists and media are joining the ride at various points for events and visits. Three bikes on the tour carry solar panels that produce electricity to power uphill rides or to play music.

³Global climate change is real, but we can turn this challenge into economic opportunity in the Midwest," Osterberg said. "EMS will be the first of many places where we will see how renewable energy technology can keep turning over in our own communities in the Midwest - and make us more secure."

Wind power has a strong foothold in southeastern South Dakota. Howard was the first municipality in South Dakota to own and operate wind turbines, with two commissioned in 2001. A third was commissioned in 2002 at Canova, and another added near Carthage in 2003.

Following the 9 a.m. visit at EMS in Howard, a team of nine bicyclists will ride from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to Canova. Mike Knutson of Miner County Community Revitalization will be in the group for that portion of Monday's ride.

The riders will pack up the bikes from Canova to Sioux Falls, for a ride at Falls Park from noon to 12:30, ending with a rally for clean energy with representatives of the Clean Water Fund, State Representatives Rich Engels and Bill Thompson, and congressonal candidates Jeff Venekamp and Lance Moran.

After the rally, the group will drive to Minnesota to visit a wind farm and ethanol plant, breaking out the bicycles for a ride from Tyler to Lake Benton. Minnesota State Representative Aaron Peterson will join the riders for that leg, which ends with a rally at Lake Benton. At 5 p.m., the riders will visit new wind turbines north of Luverne, and ride their bikes into town to an ethanol plant, with an event there at 6:30 p.m.

The public can keep track of the Green Bikers during the tour through stories and photos that will be updated daily on a website, www.greenbike.org.


Riders scheduled for the 2004 Green Bike Tour:

Monday: David Osterberg and Tom Cook from the University of Iowa; environmental entrepreneur Ed Woolsey of Martinsdale, Iowa; environmental educator Gail Barels of Linn County, Iowa; policy analyst Elaine Ditsler of Iowa City, Iowa; Jim Cooper of Ames, Iowa, who works with farmers on resource issues; Jeri Neal of the Leopold Center at Iowa State University; John Dunlop of the American Wind Energy Association; Mike Knutson of Miner County Community Revitalization in Howard, S.D.; Becky Smith of Clean Water Fund of Sioux Falls, S.D.; South Dakota State Representatives Rich Engels and Bill Thompson; South Dakota congressional candidates Jeff Venekamp and Lance Moran; and Minnesota State Representative Aaron Peterson.
Tuesday: Donna Buell, an Environmental Protection commissioner in Iowa; Mike Kelly, manager of Top of Iowa windfarm in Joice, Iowa; Iowa State Representative Mary Lou Freeman; Iowa State Senator Joe Bolkcom; photographer Tom Langdon; and many of the first-day riders.
Wednesday: Mark Lambert, an Iowa Utilities Board commissioner, and John Fredrich, campaign manager for congressional candidate Paul Johnson.
Thursday: Bruce Anderson of St. Olaf University in Northfield, Minn., and Christopher Childs of the Sierra Club in St. Paul.
Friday: Guy Wolf and others from Wisconsin.



Editors, News Directors Note: The itinerary and rider list is likely to change. We will provide updates on the web at http://www.greenbike.org.