HomeMy WebLinkAboutIonia Support LettersTheTRUSTTheAlaskaMentalHealthTrustAuthoritySeptember13,2010AlaskaEnergyAuthority813WestNorthernLightsBlvd.Anchorage,AK99503ThisletteristoexpresstheintentoftheMentalHealthTrust(MHT)toactasgranteeforanapplicationtotheAlaskaEnergyAuthority(AEA)RenewableEnergyFundRoundIVgrantprogram.TheMHTintendstoactasgrantee/sponsortotheloniacommunityfortheirRenewableEnergyTrainingCenterproject,whichincludesaBiomassHeatingSystemandaSolarThermalHeatingSystem.TheMHThastheabilityandintentiontodevelopaMemorandumofUnderstandingwithloniaforthepurposeofowning,operatingandmaintainingthesystemsfortheirusefuleconomiclife,forthebenefitofthepublic,whilemeetingtheAEAgrantguidelinesinSection1.4forgrantee’sownershipandcontrolofthefacilities.TheMHTwillworkwithloniaandconsultwithAEAonthisMOU,andiftheprojectischosenforthegrantaward,intendtoexecuteanagreementacceptabletoallparties.MHTandloniahavelongsuccessfulhistoryoftrustbuiltfrompreviousprojects.TheMHTAhasrespectandadmirationforthegoalsandtheprovenperformanceofloniaoverthelast20years.MentalHealthTrust3745CommunityParkLoopAnchorage,AK99508cc:loniacommunityedouardeller@yahoo.comThomasDeerfield,DalsonEnergyThomas@dalsonenergy.com3745CommunityParkLoop,Suite200Anchorage.Alaska99508Tel:907-269-7960Fax:907-269-7966ww.mhtrustorg
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Community Action Coalition
Building a community of respect.
PO Box 1642
Kenai, Alaska 99611
Phone: FYI-PREV (907-398-7738) • Fax: 907-335-0086
September 13, 2010
TO: Alaska Energy Authority
For: Renewable Energy Fund Round III
RE: proposal “Ionia Renewable Energy Training Center”
Dear Alaska Energy Authority,
I would like to provide a letter of support for the project proposal entitled “Ionia Renewable Energy
Training Center Project,” as proposed by The Alaska Mental Health Trust, as sponsor for the Ionia
Community, for grant funding by the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA).
Ionia has a long, clear history of demonstrating a commitment to improving the health, wellbeing and
environment of the community. They actively participate in numerous community projects and
organizations, including mental health support, substance abuse prevention, sustainability, localized grain
production, alternative energy and others. As the executive director of Community Action Coalition, I
have worked with several of their leaders extensively, and can speak to both their integrity, and to their
seriousness to developing alternative energy sources.
Their community involvement has included demonstration projects on alternative energy and alternative
construction adapted to Alaska’s unique environment. They have shared their findings with city and
borough leaders, organizational leaders, the press and the community at large. The means they have used
to share their findings and knowledge is a reflection of their commitment. They have had open houses
that have included very large groups of people. They have welcomed visitors who seek to stay for
extended periods to learn from them. They have conducted workshops and learn-by-doing projects to
make the information accessible to all who seek it.
I believe this proposal fits not only with the AEA mission of advancing the research, development and
deployment of community-scale renewable energy technologies, but will also serve as an example to
other community projects. In addition, it will help make this technology available to others by providing
key information regarding localizing and adapting these technologies. “Off the shelf” solutions that may
work well in more temperate climates do not always work well here. Being able to demonstrate and teach
how to make them work here is key to them being adopted by a larger part of society. They are in a
position to do that, and have shown their willingness to assist others.
It is my sincere hope you will fund this project. I, and the Community Action Coalition, support Ionia on
this project and believe it will significantly benefit our community and Alaska.
Respectfully,
Dale H. Gillilan
Executive Director
PO Box 240588, Anchorage, AK 99524 www.akpeersupport.org Ph: 907-‐351-‐6890
TO: Alaska Energy Authority
For: Renewable Energy Fund Round III
5( SURSRVDO³Ionia Renewable Energy Training Center´
Dear Alaska Energy Authority,
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as proposed by The Alaska Mental Health Trust, as sponsor for the Ionia Community, for grant
funding by the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA).
The Alaska Peer Support Consortium (Consortium) believes this proposal fits with the AEA
mission of advancing the research, development and deployment of community-scale renewable
energy technologies.
Alaska has very significant renewable energy resources, including wind, solar and woody
biomass. In order to make the most effective use of these resources, it is necessary to demonstrate
the viability of energy conversion methods in rural Alaska. The systems must meet the
requirements of cold climate operations, and must be demonstrated to be reliable.
This project will demonstrate the use of biomass and solar energy for the educational purposes of
building awareness of the social and economic implications of sustainability and renewable
energy.
Ionia has been part of the Consortium since its inception and is leading the way in therapeutic
community living for people with behavioral health issues in Alaska. This project would greatly
enhance their continued support of people in this manner and in showing the way to all behavioral
health services to look at the whole person.
The Consortium hopes you will consider funding this project and fully supports the goals of Ionia
and this project.
Executive Director
Dear Alaska Energy Authority Officials;
We are writing as the steering committee of Kenai Resilience, whose mission is "Gathering &
celebrating local skills, knowledge, & resources toward cultivating a more sustainable
community". (See our website at www.kenairesilience.org.) We would like to recommend that you
grant funding for the proposal called "Ionia Renewable Energy Training Center Project" sponsored
by the Alaska Mental Health Trust for the ecovillage of Ionia for a wood/solar heating system. The
community of Ionia is the most sustainable community on the Kenai Peninsula, and this project of
theirs will be a tremendous help to advance the AEA mission of research, development and
deployment of community - scale renewable energy technologies in Alaska.
Compared to the average Kenai Peninsula citizen, Ionia uses our collective fossil fuel resources
far more efficiently. They have two vehicles for a population of 40 in the Winter and 60 in the
Summer. Ionians eat low on the food chain and they try to eat locally, and both of these practices
save on the energy used in transporting & producing food on an industrial scale. Ionia is also
experimenting with growing a type of barley, and if successful, this could feed another generation
of Ionians over & over again. In Alaska, as you know, we are fairly new to agriculture compared to
other states. We need to invest in the appropriate technologies to feed ourselves in the 49th
state. Ionia needs a heating system for their barn/training center, so that they can dry their crops
out in the Fall (when it's usually rainy on the Kenai) and teach and share throughout the
winter. This demonstration project will build awareness around renewable energy technologies for
Kenai Peninsula folks and others all over the state, who come to get tours at Ionia. In addition,
this project will allow Ionia to experiment with other food preservation systems, and this in turn
could spark a cottage industry in local foods on the Kenai.
On a personal note, we have had the good fortune of getting to know our Ionian neighbors during
the past year. They are innovative, hard-working, efficient, forward-thinking folks. Although none
of us has ever lived in a community like this, we sense the negotiations, the give & take, that must
go on to make a community such as this thrive. As you know, living together in a community is
much more energy-efficient than living in "suburbia" or out in the woods on your own. Every time
we go out there, we try to take some of that back with us, because ultimately that is the way we
will handle any future energy concerns that may come our way. Ionia is a precious resource.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this letter. We appreciate your time.
Sincerely,
Kate Veh Heidi Chay
Phil St. John Michelle Martin
Founders & Steering Committee Members, Kenai Resilience - www.kenairesilience.org
(907) 260-4669 (907) 283-7588