1Sky Joins Repower America to Fight for Clean Energy Policy in South Dakota

Badlands Blue gives notice that the green lobby is making an even bigger push in South Dakota. After a busy summer with Repower America opening offices in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, and Rapid City, another environmental advocacy group, 1Sky, is setting up shop in South Dakota. (Should I start chanting, 'We surround you!"?) 1Sky is throwing a kickoff meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Kenny Anderson Community Center in Sioux Falls.

1Sky's focus is to push for congressional action on climate change. Their main target here is likely Senator Tim Johnson, who could still be swayed to vote for ACESA. And yes, Troy, 1Sky wants to move us away from coal—not get rid of it, just stop increasing our dependence on it (kind of like Otter Tail Power is doing by bailing out of Big Stone II).

1Sky also sets as goals five million new green jobs and reduction of greenhouse emissions by 35% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

This proliferation of environmental advocacy does raise one Spockly eyebrow. 1Sky is part of Bill Clinton's Global Initiative; Repower America is Al Gore's baby. Now wouldn't it be fun to watch those two guys trying to outgreen each other? But hey, if the Rotary and Kiwanis can get along, so can Repower America and 1Sky. And they may do even more good.