Winneshiek Energy District charts a new course

It's called the "Winneshiek Energy District," but in the future it might be just as accurate to call it the "Winneshiek-Allamakee-Clayton-Fayette-Chickasaw-Howard Energy District."  That's because the Decorah-based non-profit group is changing its focus to serving six counties in Northeast Iowa.

WED Executive Director Andy Johnson says four new Green Iowa Americorps workers will be concentrating on rural energy use.  They will provide a comprehensive look at ways people living in the country can save energy—on the farm and in the farmhouse.

The concept, says Johnson, is "to give farmers a big picture of their energy use."  WED Board President Jim Martin-Schramm says the goal is to help people in the counties surrounding Decorah.

Winneshiek Energy District has just been awarded a $400,000 NRCS grant for three years that will enable it to carry out such work.  Johnson admits his group "hasn't done much outside of Winneshiek County" in the past—but that's about to change.  He says rising energy costs, such as last year's spike in propane prices, make rural property owners just as interested in their energy bills as their city counterparts.

The four new Green Iowa Americorps workers started their new jobs on Tuesday and will be working to get out the news that they can perform the same energy analyses for rural property owners that Winneshiek Energy District workers have been performing in the City of Decorah for the past four years.