MANLY, IA - Governor Chet Culver is working to make Iowa a leader in renewable energy. Tuesday, he took this message to the rails. The governor started the day in Neveda, iowa, and finished his trip in Manly a few hours later. His goal was to highlight the importance of rail use in Iowa - both for businesses and families.
It looked like a snapshot from America's past. But Governor Culver is using the classic presidential campaign approach to send a message about Iowa's future.
"What they're doing in Manly is really unprecedented," the governor noted. "It's becoming the national terminal for bio-fuels, for wind energy component parts."
The governor is teaming up with Union Pacific to secure a federal grant for improving the state's rails.
Governor Culver believes, "what we need to do is make some improvements on this track between Manly and South Iowa to make it more efficient, a little bit faster."
Better rails could give the state the edge in wind power technology. Which, in turn, would boost North Iowa's economy.
Manly Mayor Tim O'Keefe explained, "it hires local - renewable energy, that's what's nice about that. It hires local people to produce renewable energies. It's not imported, it's not make offshore, it's made right here."
But, there's a reason the group was riding on a passenger train for this trip. Governor Culver wants more families to get out and see Iowa from the rails. His goal is to develop a rail system which would provide a competitive option for long-distance travel.
"It makes a lot of sense for us to focus on kind of the next opportunity when it comes to something exciting, something futuristic," he said. "And high-speed passenger rail is hopefully going to be a part of our bright future in the state."
Several local city, county and state leaders rode along on the trip. Governor Culver spent time with many groups, discussing their plans for renewable energy use and expansion in North Iowa.
