POLAR EXPLORER WILL STEGER TO SPEAK IN ROCHESTER ON NOVEMBER 4

ROCHESTER, MN--- Rochester Public Utilities (RPU), in conjunction with the City of Rochester, is please to announce that polar explorer Will Steger will speak in Rochester on November 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Presentation Hall in the Mayo Civic Center. Science Policy Director for Fresh Energy, J. Drake Hamilton is also scheduled to speak along with RPU Director of Field Services Joe Hensel.

Steger is a well-known explorer that has traveled tens of thousands of miles by kayak and dogsled over 40 years, leading teams on some of the most significant polar expeditions in history. He is also a formidable voice calling for understanding and the preservation of the Arctic, and the Earth.

Recently, Steger formed the Will Steger Foundation, with a personal and professional commitment to foster leadership and cooperation in environmental education and policy. Steger has been face-to-face with what we now know to be the gravest environmental threat of our time – global warming. Thus the Foundation's first initiative, Global Warming 101, engages and empowers individuals and policy-makers to translate their concern into action on this critical issue. His non-partisan, solutions-oriented, and visionary approach resonates across all generations and forms the basis of the Foundation's efforts

J. Drake Hamilton is Science Policy Director for Fresh Energy. Fresh Energy is a private nonprofit organization working to lead the transition to a clean, efficient energy system, one that will support healthy economies, healthy people, and a healthy environment. She serves on the board of the United States Climate Action Network. Hamilton was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to serve on the Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group, a group charged with recommending to the 2008 Legislature a Climate Action Plan that will substantially reduce Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Joe Hensel, Director of Field Services for RPU will also speak on global warming and RPU’s environmental stewardship. Hensel oversees all environmental aspects for RPU including compliance and infrastructure planning.

Exhibits showing how local organizations are working to slow global warming will be open at 6:00 p.m. They will reopen during the reception immediately following the event.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Sponsors of this event include Global Warming 101 (an initiative of the Will Steger Foundation), Fresh Energy, Rochester Public Utilities, City of Rochester, Johnson Controls, Canadian Honker, Johnson Printing, and Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency.

For more information, visit www.rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 45,000 customers. Water customers number more than 34,000. RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive. Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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