Brandy Toft, Air Quality Specialist LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE

 Pilot project with Sustainable Skylines Program  Three Tribes in R5 awarded funds  Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, Grand Traverse  Goal to become more sustainable while showing reductions in air pollution

 Achieve sustainability with the goal of cleaner and healthier air in a:  Locally  Self-sustained  Collaborative way  SGI provides framework for achieving sustainability  Form and maintain partnerships  Soon to be a national program – provide input to SGI team

 Leech Lake Reservation  Rural community in North Central Minnesota  864,158 acres, over 70% is water/wetlands  713 miles of rivers/streams  270 fishable lakes, 40 wildrice lakes  Serving 12,000 in 11 communities

Wood Products Waste incinerator 2 Largest MN Coal EGU Waste EGU 2 3 Wood products Leech Lake Reservation Great Lakes Comp Station Paper mill Coal EGU

Wood Products Waste incinerator 2 Largest MN Coal EGU Waste EGU 2 3 Wood products Leech Lake Reservation Great Lakes Comp Station Paper mill Coal EGU

Nothing New... 19??

 Minnesota has similar number of sun days as Houston, Texas 4.5 vs.4.3 peak sun hours  4500 watt hours/sq meter or 4.5 KWH per day GREAT but…  How do we make it affordable?  How do we make it not so technical?

 Long-term solution fostering self-reliance  Ending public energy program dependency  Clean technology  Promotes national security  Addresses Environmental Justice issues

ConventionalEfficient Integrated efficiency & renewable Conventional energy use Renewable energy use Large price tag!

 Study the effectiveness of solar air heating systems.  Reduce CO2 emissions and emissions of other energy production pollutants (Hg, NO x, etc...).  Improve indoor air quality (furnace, filter).  the economic security of 8 low-income families, carbon footprint.

 Reduce resources leaving the Reservation to pay for fossil fuels.  Prepare for and create Leech Lake green jobs.  Train up to 12 Leech Lake Staff -  Educate, resume, job opportunities, open minds  Reduce taxpayer burden for Heating Assistance.  Create a model for self sufficiency and a pollution reduction for project replication.

Link to Radio spot on MN Public Radio /web/2009/08/24/solar-air-heaters/

 Last years  Produce 7-8 mBTUs annually

To date, our installations can generate: BTUs: mBTUs KWHs: 17,800 kwhs of clean, renewable solar energy in one year!