El 6-Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 18, 2003
$lO Million Earmarked
For Clearfield County
Ethanol Plant
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) State Rep. Camille
“Bud” George, D-74 of Clear
field County, said $lO million
in state bond money has been
earmarked to build an ethanol
plant utilizing waste coal in
Clearfield County.
“The money has been ear
marked in the state’s capital
budget, but many hurdles re
main before this plant be
comes a reality,” said George,
whose amendment to Senate
Bill 582 provides for the
money. “I thank the governor
for his support and look for
ward to advancing this proj
ect.”
According to a business
plan presented to the governor
in April, a $56 million plant
proposed for Karthaus Town
ship would utilize waste coal
to produce 40 million gallons
of ethanol annually. Ethanol
is a gasoline additive pro
duced from com that reduces
dependence on foreign oil,
helps balance the trade deficit,
and prevents groundwater
contamination.
Under the proposal, 41 full
time jobs would be created at
the plant, and 694 jobs
throughout the economy. The
region would realize
a one-time boost of
$142 million during
construction.
“The governor
and the heads of his
departments of
Community and
Economic Develop
ment and Environ
mental Protection
must have been fa
vorably impressed
by the consortium’s
presentation or the
budget item would
not have been ap
proved,” George
said. “However, the
earmarked funds are
for an ethanol plant
in Clearfield County
utilizing waste coal
and are not tied to
any specific propos
al.”
George said he ar
ranged the meeting
in the capitol among
the governor and his
staff, local econom
ic-development offi
cials and the consor
tium which
includes engi
neering, construc
tion, financial, and
energy officials. The
business report, pre
pared with assist
ance from the Car
negie Mellon Center
for -Entrepreneur
ship, said the etha
nol plant would:
• Expand the
local economic base
by $110.2 million
each year through
direct spending of
$56 million.
• Increase the
local price of com by
an average of 5-10
cents a bushel, add-
ing significantly to farm in
come.
• Increase household in
come by $19.6 million annual
ly.
• Boost state and local
sales tax receipts by an aver
age of $1.2 million.
George said the business re
port noted that 17 states have
now banned the use of MTBE,
a gasoline additive that is
blamed for contaminating
groundwater, and all major oil
companies are eliminating
MTBE from gasoline. Accord
ing to the business report, de
mand for ethanol, a renewa
ble, cleaner-burning energy
source is expected to triple
over the next decade.
“It was estimated that
Clearfield County has enough
waste coal to fuel the manu
facturing of ethanol for dec
ades,” George said. “Markets
also exist for the plant’s by
products, including the used
com residue as feed and car
bon dioxide and other gases
for the cryogenic industry.”
George said the consortium
now must secure investors and
stakeholders, secure transpor
tation upgrades, and obtain
environmental permits.
Glenn Beidler, Fretburg, PA
570-539-8993
Area Cora Grower Is State Winner
ST. LOUIS, Mo. An area
corn grower has been named a
state winner in the 2002 Na
tional Com Yield Contest
(NCYC), sponsored by the
National Com Growers Asso
ciation (NCGA).
Kyle L. Henninger of Brei
nigsville, placed first in the
state in the A no-till/strip till
nonirrigated class with a yield
of 223.7372 bushels per acre.
The hybrid planted in the win
ning field was Dekalb
DKC6O-09.
The local operation was one
of 497 state winners nation
wide.
Kyle Henninger, Breinigsville, received a state award in
the 2002 National Corn Yield Contest sponsored by the
National Corn Growers Association. From left, Tim Hume,
NCGA chairman from Walsh, Colo., presented the trophy
on Feb. 28 to Debra and Kyle Henninger and their daugh
ter, Brienne, during the annual Commodity Classic in
Charlotte, N.C.
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