PRESS RELEASE
FROM: INDEPENDENT CATTLEMEN OF NEBRASKA
Contact person: ICON Director Chris Abbott 308-282-2826

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 22, 2009

ICON ORGANIZES INFORMATIONAL MEETING ON WIND ENERGY

(Hyannis) -The Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska (ICON) hosted an afternoon informational meeting on wind energy recently which drew a sizeable crowd of 60-plus to listen to those promoting this important resource. A natural occurrence in the windy Sandhills has lately become a marketable source of energy.

"Making significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions while providing reliable and reasonably-priced electricity to meet a growing need will be one of the biggest, and perhaps most expensive challenges the electric industry has ever faced," said John Richards of Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) while he gave a slide presentation on potential wind development.

Rising fuel costs, a growing demand for electricity and future legislative or regulatory policy are three items that are impacting traditionally low electric rates.

"You currently pay less for electricity in Nebraska for several reasons, but one is because Nebraska is the only totally public power state in America,” said Richards. As a public power provider, NPPD’s loyalty is to their customers, not stockholders. Because decisions are made at the local level, costs for electric service are kept at the forefront. NPPD wants to ensure their customers have sufficient, reliable energy in the future.

However, several challenges could dramatically raise rates. This is why NPPD is currently looking at getting more involved in the Wind Power industry

The American Wind Energy Association has listed Nebraska as 6th in the top twenty states for wind