FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 5, 2013
CONTACT: Mark Hefflinger | mark@boldnebraska.org

 

Bold Nebraska and Partners to Construct Renewable Energy Barn Inside Keystone XL Pipeline Route
Construction Days: Sept. 14-15 & 21-22

York, Nebraska — Volunteers will come together in September for a community barn-raising to construct the “Build Our Energy Barn” — a solar and wind-powered barn being raised on land directly inside the route of the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL tarsands export pipeline.

(Details: https://boldnebraska.org/build)

The Build our Energy Barn — a project led by Bold Nebraska with partners including Nebraska Farmers Union, 350.org and The Sierra Club — is to be an educational resource; a place where the community can learn and discover sustainable energy alternatives that serve to benefit the agricultural industry. Wind and solar energy is much more than just viable; renewables are an ecological and economic necessity that builds—not threatens—our communities.

Due to the future location of the Build Our Energy Barn, should Pres. Obama ultimately approve a permit for Keystone XL, TransCanada will either have to reroute the pipeline, or demolish a community-serving, sustainable energy structure.

A Groundbreaking Day for the project was held on Saturday, Aug. 17. Volunteers designed “#No KXL” Billboards to place with landowners along the proposed pipeline route, and participated in a turning of the land and blessing ceremony, where members of the family whose land the barn will be built on spoke about why they support clean, local energy and oppose Keystone XL.

View photos from Groundbreaking Day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boldnebraska/sets/72157635252995907/

Video from Groundbreaking Day:
http://youtu.be/5Fx4lpxfFWM

WHAT: Build Our Energy Barn Project Build Weekends

WHERE: Hammond, Harrington & Kleinschmidt Family Farm
(about 15 miles Northwest of York, NE)
Click here for map to parking area at barn site: http://goo.gl/maps/Mr7wq
(For turn-by-turn directions, click the blue pin on the map, then on the word “Directions”)

WHEN: Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 14-15 & 21-22

Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 14 & 15:

  • 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Arrive anytime between 8-12 to get b-roll of volunteers constructing the barn, as well as designing and painting #NoKXL billboards to place with landowners inside the proposed route of Keystone XL
  • 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. LUNCH: Potluck lunch provided by volunteers
  • 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Volunteers continue work on the barn, and finish up arts projects

Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 21-22

  • 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Arrive anytime between 8-12 to get b-roll of volunteers constructing the barn, as well as designing and painting #NoKXL billboards to place with landowners inside the proposed route of Keystone XL
  • 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. LUNCH: Potluck lunch provided by volunteers
  • 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Volunteers continue work on the barn, and finish up arts projects
  • *3:00 p.m., Sept. 21: “Draw the Line” national day of action group photo
  • *3:00 p.m., Sept. 22: Official barn dedication ceremony, featuring energy investor Tom Steyer

For more information about the barn-raising on Sept. 14-15 and Sept. 21-22, please contact Mark Hefflinger at mark@boldnebraska.org