President Barack Obama celebrated Earth Day in Newton and unveiled his energy plan.
The president spoke for approximately 30 minutes to a crowd of 100 at Trinity Structural Towers, with Trinity employees and local, state and federal elected officials about his energy plan which he hopes will put the U.S. in first when it comes to the production of renewable energy and help the nation's economy recover.
"We can allow climate change to wreak unnatural havoc across the landscape, or we can create jobs working to prevent its worst effects. We can hand over the jobs of the 21st century to our competitors, or we can confront what countries in Europe and Asia have already recognized as both a challenge and an opportunity: The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy. "
Obama hopes his energy plan will decrease the nation's dependency of foreign oil, create jobs in the clean energy sector, promote U.S. competitiveness, invest in energy technologies and help the U.S. become a leader in producing renewable energies such as wind and biofuels.
" On this Earth Day, it is time for us to lay a new foundation for economic growth by beginning a new era of energy exploration in America," he said."
Newton was chosen as the backdrop for the president's Earth Day speech because of the two wind energy plants that have relocated in the community and developed hundreds of jobs since the shuttering of Maytag's doors in October of 2006.
"Look at what we see here today. This facility is alive again with new industry," he said. "This community is still going through some tough times. If you talk to your neighbors and friends, I know they ? the community still hasn't fully recovered from the loss of Maytag. Not everybody has been rehired. But more than 100 people will now be employed at this plant ? maybe more, if we keep on moving.
Thurs April 23rd, Newton High School and many volunteers will be out making Newton, Iowa our community beautiful. A great big thanks.
