White House official to visit MHS on Thursday

Nancy Sutley, President Obama’s principal environmental advisor and Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, will visit Middleton High School on Thursday afternoon.

MHS was recently selected as one of the first U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.  Green Ribbon Schools are recognized for reducing energy use, providing a healthy learning environment, and providing effective environmental education that prepares students to succeed in the 21st century.

Sutley will arrive at MHS at approximately 12:45 p.m. after first visiting Madison College.

Sutley will tour MHS and discuss the energy conservation and sustainability features and projects that have been implemented. Following that, Sutley will meet with MHS environmental studies teacher Leah Williams and several students who have been engaged in energy conservation and sustainability projects at MHS and in the community. Williams and MHS principal Denise Herrmann attended the Green Ribbon ceremony in Washington in June.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Tom Wohlleber, MHS associate principal Brian Morstad, district facilities service manager Bill Eberhardt, district energy manager Neal Bickler are expected to be on hand.

Before coming to MHS, Sutley will tour Madison College to learn about the school’s innovative wind energy initiative and job training program that is preparing students for the wind energy jobs of the 21st century.

According to a recent report from the Department of Energy, in 2011 the United States was one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing wind markets in the world, with wind power representing 32 percent of all new electric capacity added in the U.S.  President Obama has called on Congress to take action to create jobs and move our economy forward by extending the federal wind Production Tax Credit, which is set to expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts.  This tax credit, which has bi-partisan support, has helped drive industry growth and create jobs.  Industry leaders estimate 37,000 wind energy jobs are at risk if Congress fails to extend the tax credit – including jobs in Wisconsin. Uncertainty about the extension is already impacting wind energy businesses around the nation. 

She will also be part of a energy roundtable with five other experts at 2:30 p.m. at the Deluca Forum Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, 330 N. Orchard St.