Resolution 26-04 Supporting Excelsior Energy

WHEREAS, Excelsior Energy developing the Mesaba Energy Project which will be located on the Iron Range of Northeastern Minnesota, and

WHEREAS, on June35, 2004, Excelsior Energy will be submitting its application to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for $150 million of finding under DOE�s Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI) Round 2 Solicitation, and

WHEREAS, energy is a basic necessity of life throughout this country, and of particular importance to those families living in the Northeastern Minnesota, an area whose industry and jobs are vitally dependent upon ample supplies of clean and reasonably priced energy, and

WHEREAS, the Mesaba Energy Project will play a vital role in helping to diversify and transform the economy of Northeastern Minnesota, and

WHEREAS, the Mesaba Energy Project will create upwards of 1000 construction jobs, new permanent employment, and stimulate the Iron Range economy, and

WHEREAS, this nation�s energy dependence on foreign sources of supply, the ever-increasing cost of natural gas and our nation�s national security interests are matters of growing concern for the leaders of this country, and

WHEREAS, future energy supplies and a cleaner environment for the people and businesses of Minnesota would be greatly enhanced with the construction of the energy facility planned by Excelsior Energy, a projected $1 Billion project that would bring enormous growth and. opportunity to the people of Northeastern Minnesota, with the creation of as many as 1,000 construction jobs, and hundreds of fill time jobs, with excellent wage pay and benefits, and

WHEREAS, this new facility will deploy the newest state-of-the-art Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology in its production of energy, and would be a beacon of environmental potential demonstrating to the rest of the Nation that energy can be produced from coal, America�s most abundant energy resource, without hinting the air, water, natural resources, and wildlife of this area, and

WHEREAS, the successful demonstration of the IGCC technology by Excelsior Energy confirming the enormous future potential of power generation and environmental performance from this new facility deploying IGCC technology will be of great benefit our entire nation.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF MOUNTAIN IRON, MINNESOTA, that the City of Mountain Iron supports and endorses the Clean Coal Power Initiative proposal of Excelsior Energy, and urges the Secretary of Energy to approve its application.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL, that the City of Mountain Iron does hereby call on the Congress of the United States and the elected leaders of the State of Minnesota to do everything within their power and influence to expedite the approval, financing, construction and operation of this planned energy facility of Excelsior.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL, that the City of Mountain Iron authorizes the City Administrator to promptly transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Secretary of Energy and other officials in Minnesota and Washington, D.C.

DULY ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THIS 7th DAY OF JUNE, 2004.