Falk Press Statement: Charter Street Biomass Plant

October 25, 2010
Joshua Wescott, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive

 

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk issued the following statement regarding Monday’s groundbreaking of a new biomass power plant on Charter Street:

 

“Today’s groundbreaking is not only a victory for clean air and clean energy, but it also presents an enormous economic opportunity for Dane County farmers and helps our collaborative work to clean up our lakes. 

 

With some of the best cropland in the state, our farmers, just as they’ve done with our first-of-its-kind manure digester, are ready to supply locally-grown energy to power our businesses and homes.  

 

There are over 106,000 acres of cropland in the Yahara Lakes watershed and these fields offer great promise to grow the grasses needed to fuel this new biomass power plant.  That means opportunity for a new cash crop for our farmers with the added benefit of slowing the runoff of pollutants like phosphorus that hurt our lakes.

 

Because this new opportunity to clean our lakes is so great, the budget I proposed to the county board creates a full-time coordinator to work with farmers on phosphorus reduction strategies like growing grasses for biomass.

 

“Thanks to Governor Doyle’s leadership the future is now for cleaner, greener energy and bluer lakes.”

 

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