South Dakota

An Inconvenient Truth at a Convenient Site

Big Stone City, SD
April 14, 2007
By Mary Jo Stueve

A meeting of minds and hearts, respectful, conversant, concerned about our future, excited to begin! We want the nation to know, we have wind ready to go!

Clean Water Action SD staff and members at the Big Stone II site on April 14,2007

Clean Water Action staff and concerned citizens at the Big Stone II site April 14,2007

Clean Water Action South Dakota hosted a live slideshow version of An Inconvenient Truth featuring keynote speaker, Diana McKeown, trained by former Vice President Al Gore, The Climate Project, to give the presentation. Although the event started at 11:00 a.m., Reporter Terry O'Keefe, Watertown Public Opinion, having chased down the information the night before, arrived at 9:30 to do interviews before hitting the road for another engagement.

McKeown captured everyone's attention before giving her presentation by telling of her first visit to South Dakota as a young girl in the late seventies with her Dad and brother. They had been hunting on the Minnesota side of the border and never having been in South Dakota before, took the five-minute drive to the Big Stone City area. "That's where I got my first coot," she grinned, "and a pet rock."

Timothy Rose, Director of Media Relations for Fresh Energy, a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota working on renewable energy and global warming solutions, recounted his favorite South Dakota rural wind success stories and challenged South Dakotans for not doing more and letting the wind pass through to Minnesota hands. "Not everyone wants to move to the Twin Cities or Sioux Falls," Rose said, explaining that developing wind projects builds rural economies so people do not have to move to get a job. Then, with twinkling eyes and affirming nod, he let the audience know that wind energy could bring green in many ways, cash being one.

Following the speaker presentations, the group discussed challenges and opportunities for South Dakota in light of consequences and responsibility of global warming. Discussion ranged from Big Stone II to environmental refugees to what can we do?

At 1:00 p.m., the group had a photo taken by photographer Don Sherman, among others.

At the end, Big Stone Plant Manager, Jeff Endrizzi offered attendees a tour of the plant and an opportunity for further discussion. Many had previous engagements planned. McKeown, Stueve, Elsie Perrine of Ortonville and Delores Miller, Graceville took Endrizzi up on his offer.

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