Great River Energy’s policy includes a commitment to conserve resources through environmental stewardship. Part of our environmental program includes undertaking projects to protect and enhance our natural resources.

Fly ash is produced when coal is used to fuel a power plant. As the fly ash moves through the power plant’s exhaust system, electrostatic precipitators collect the particles before they can be released into air via the chimneys. Over 50 percent of the fly ash produced at Coal Creek Station is used in lieu of cement for construction projects in a six-state and three-Canadian-province region.

By displacing cement, fly ash reduces the need for cement production – resulting in substantial reductions in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, since more than a ton of CO₂ is emitted for each ton of cement that is produced.

Great River Energy is an active Waste Wise member and sponsor. Waste Wise is a non profit organization whose mission is to help businesses and organizations reduce waste, save money and protect the environment. Great River Energy’s Waste Wise efforts include tracking and reporting waste prevention; recycling activities that include pop can recycling, fly ash beneficial use and technical equipment donation.

Wildlife Management Efforts

Visit our Birdcam page

Great River Energy installed a peregrine falcon nesting box on its Elk River Station power plant in early 2006. In spring 2007, two adult falcons and three eyases (baby falcons) called the nesting box home. The eyases hatched on Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19. The Raptor Resource Project was onsite to band the young falcons in early June. We are a participating utility in the peregrine recovery effort.

Great River Energy worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to relocate an osprey nest that was atop our microwave tower near Browerville, Minnesota. Although the large nest was not yet interfering with communications, it partially blocked strobe lights at the top of the tower, which could have been an aviation hazard.

Great River Energy uses an integrated vegetation management program to enhance wildlife habitat along power line rights-of-way. This effort includes the use of low-volume, biodegradable herbicides to remove unwanted woody species, while leaving behind the grasses, wildflowers and low-growing trees preferred by butterflies, songbirds, wild turkey and deer.

In a unique partnership, Great River Energy teamed up with Ducks Unlimited, The Falkirk Mining Company, North Dakota and federal agencies, and area landowners to build a nesting site for migrating ducks in central North Dakota. A nesting island was constructed around a Great River Energy transmission line tower near Coal Creek Station.

Natural Areas

Great River Energy and some of its member cooperatives help fund the Tree Trust program. Communities and schools create outdoor learning environments, receive grants, help with planning nature areas and help with the installation of nature areas through the nonprofit organization, Tree Trust.

Great River Energy and Minnesota’s other Touchstone Energy^® cooperatives have joined together to spruce up the state park system through the GreenTouch partnership. Twice a year, co-op volunteers work together to help build picnic shelters, brush trails, plant trees and undertake other activities at various state parks.

Great River Energy employees regularly clean up a section of U.S. Highway 10 in Elk River, Minnesota, and U.S. Highway 83 near Underwood, North Dakota, through the Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program. These efforts have been ongoing since before Great River Energy was formed in 1999.

With help from Great River Energy and a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the Laurentian Environmental Center near Virginia, Minnesota, developed a wind energy curriculum, called the Windy Classroom, for high school students. The curriculum and accompanying teacher’s kit help students discover firsthand the fundamentals of wind energy. The curriculum provides hands-on discovery activities and discussion questions geared to engage students. As Great River Energy continues to grow, our new generation will include more environmentally sound renewable energy sources.

For five months in the winter of 1804-1805, the Lewis & Clark Expedition lived at Fort Mandan in North Dakota. It was here where the group first met Sakakawea, became close friends with the Mandan and Hidatsa and survived a long, bitterly cold winter. The North Dakota Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Foundation constructed a visitor services center at Fort Mandan to accommodate the thousands of visitors expected to visit during the upcoming bicentennial of the expedition. The visitor services center is constructed virtually entirely of coal combustion products. The center showcases the many new energy efficient, environmentally friendly products that are constructed from recycled products of coal combustion.

Great River Energy is working to establish native prairies at some of our facilities. They restore biodiversity to an area by promoting plant, insect and animal sustainability.

Great River Energy currently has three native prairies under development – Lakefield Junction, Pleasant Valley and New Prague. Each of these areas is starting to mature. Planning is underway to expand the prairies at Lakefield Junction and Pleasant Valley.