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Interior Secretary Salazar to join energy leaders, Navajo County families to dedicate Arizona's first commercial-scale wind farm

Who & what
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will join federal, state and local officials, energy industry leaders, ranchers and school children to celebrate Arizona's first commercial-scale wind power project at the dedication of the Dry Lake Wind Power Project.

Located in Navajo County between Holbrook and Heber along SR-377, the Dry Lake Wind Power Project sits on a combination of private, state and federal lands. Approximately a third of the project is on the private Rocking Chair Ranch, with a third each on Arizona State Land Department and Bureau of Land Management public lands.

The project brings a new source of clean, renewable energy to the region and will generate enough power for more than 15,000 homes. Salt River Project, serving more than 930,000 electric customers in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, is purchasing all of the energy from the project. Navajo County receives tax benefits. Comprised of 30 turbines standing nearly 400 feet tall when the blades are at high noon, the project covers approximately 6,000 acres yet takes less than two percent of the land out of grazing use.

Interview opportunities available with:

• Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior
• Honorable Ann Kirkpatrick, U.S. Congresswoman
• Richard Silverman, General Manager, Salt River Project
• J.R. DeSpain, Navajo County Supervisor District III
• Bob Abbey, Director, Bureau of Land Management
• Bill Elkins, owner, Rocking Chair Ranch
• Martín Múgica, Executive Vice President, Iberdrola Renewables
• Ruben Ojeda, Arizona State Land Department
• Tulsi Tanti, Chairman Managing Director and Founder, Suzlon Energy Limited
• Marguerite Kelly, Group Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Community representatives and advocates

When & where
Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
Dry Lake Wind Power Project
Near Heber, Ariz. along SR-377 at mile marker 17

• 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wind turbine tours and picnic lunch
• 1-2 p.m. Speaker program, awards and ribbon-cutting ceremony

Additional resources

• Interview opportunities with elected officials, top energy industry executives and community leaders
• Interview opportunities with local teachers and students who completed a mini-wind turbine building project in the classroom. Class turbine projects will be on display.
• Opportunities for up-close live remotes at the site near the wind turbines
• Background video of the turbines and wind farm available to media outlets.

Background
The Dry Lake Wind Power Project, located in Navajo County, Ariz., is the state's first commercial scale wind farm. The project is situated on a combination of private, state and Bureau of Land Management public lands. The 30 Suzlon S88-2.1 MW turbines at this wind power project generate 63 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy and contributes jobs and tax revenue to the local community. Typically, a 63 MW wind project can generate power for more than 15,000 average homes, according to the American Wind Energy Association's calculation. The power from Dry Lake benefits customers of the Salt River Project in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Directions to Dry Lake Wind Power Project
From Phoenix:

• Take the I-10 East toward Tucson
• Merge onto AZ-202 Loop East
• After about 12.5 miles, take exit 13 to merge onto AZ-87 North Beeline Hwy, and continue for 73.6 miles.
• Turn right at East AZ-260 and continue for 53.5 miles
• In Heber, turn left onto AZ-277 and continue for about 9.2 miles
• Turn left onto AZ-377
• The Dry Lake Wind Power Project is located on the right at mile marker 17