[Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass & energy
Steve Flick
steveaflick at earthlink.net
Sat Dec 26 12:08:48 CST 2009
Show Me Energy has been collaborating on a PILOT project that will convert
biomass to oil- then down stream to bio-diesel that is economical and
sustainable. Our intent is to license this technology after we build the
scale up plant sometime in the future- maybe 2011
We have to have national U.S. policy be the driver- just like the E.U.
WHAT IS OUR TRANSPORTATION FUELS OF THE FUTURE- BIO-DIESEL/CORN/CELLULOSIC
ETHANOL/HYDROGEN/ELETRIC??? All of them?
Steve
Mervin -
Its a topic of much debate, especially with respect to ethanol from
corn. Apparently some other crops, like sugar-cane, are many times more
efficient.
You can find more material than any human can read if you Google "Food
for Fuel", "Food vs. Fuel", etc. Here is a sample link:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_food.html
All that said, it likely marginal when using corn as a feedstock,
especially if you factor in the energy associated with building the
tractors, semi's used to haul the grain, refinery overhead, etc.
I'm sure Rudi has a much more definitive answer. Rudi? You have been
studying this for years in detail, I suspect the question has been
raised before!
Kevin
Mervin Wallace wrote:
> Please correct me if I am wrong, but approximately 43 years ago I
> learned in college chemistry class that more energy is required to
> distill ethanon than is gotten out of the final product. (We talked
> about perpetual motion devices at the same time).
>
> I assume that process has not changed, and ethanol production in most
> situations is relying on fossil fuel to heat the mash.
>
> If distilation of alcohol could be accomplished using the spent steam
> from steam generating plants (coal gas and NUKE), it seems the ethanol
> manufacturers could hold their heads much higher in this greening world.
>
> Boiling point of alcohol: 78.5 deg. C
> Steam temp: 100+ deg. C
>
> A place to learn more is through the article by Kelley E Jones,
> referenced below:
>
> BT - Direct Injection of *Steam* for Mash*Temperature* Control
> <http://brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.4/jones.html>
> I recall doing a pilot-scale experiment on the use
> of*steam* for *temperature* control as part of a laboratory course in
> my chemical
> brewingtechniques.com/library/b
> <http://brewingtechniques.com/library/b>... -
>
>
> Mervin Wallace
> Missouri Wildflowers Nursery
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Dec 21, 2009, at 2:06 PM, Rudi Roeslein <RRoeslein at ROESLEIN.com
> <mailto:RRoeslein at ROESLEIN.com>> wrote:
>
>> Thank you all for your professional and very well thought out and
>> varied input on this matter. I am the CEO of a company
>> www.roeslein.com <http://www.roeslein.com> that has actually been
>> involved in the ethanol industry for a number of years and in fact
>> just completed two very large corn based projects for EBenX/Abengoa,
>> in Illinois and in Indiana. We have also worked with BlueFire on
>> their Lancaster California proposed project for several years. We
>> have also been instrumental in taking modular processes to over 40
>> different countries in the past 20 years using a modular approach
>> that uses American Technology, but more importantly our labor to
>> produce and manufacture over 60 % of the labor that would normally be
>> stick built in these foreign countries. All of these processes were
>> proven and commercially viable, and they had a track record of
>> success in the US before we took them overseas.
>>
>>
>>
>> The facts regarding the bio fuel industry and which technology will
>> actually prove to be commercially viable are still evolving and
>> unproven commercially. There are several technologies that have been
>> proven to work in both laboratory scales and even with demonstration
>> scales. It is however a huge leap commercially and technologically
>> to scale these units up to a commercially viable production facility.
>> It will take companies with a proven track record of success in
>> related industries and that have the financial staying power to
>> weather the financial droughts to be successful in this arena. I
>> have spent the last three years studying this industry in order to
>> make sound and well informed decisions on which process company we
>> should engage our modular services with the expectation of provide
>> long term modular engineering and manufacturing services.
>>
>> I have also visited the University of Minnesota and met with Dr.
>> David Tilman and Dr. Clarence Lehman to discuss their views on this
>> subject and to visit their research farm where they are growing
>> various grasses and conducting a variety of tests. I have also met
>> with Dr. Peter Raven, the Director of the Missouri Botanical garden
>> regarding the biodiversity of plants and animals and how various
>> countries like China are dealing with their industrialization and the
>> environment. I have read countless magazines, articles, publications
>> and must profess I still do not pretend to be “smarter than a fifth
>> grader”. These efforts were all towards making a sound decision as
>> to the right decision on feedstock materials.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have traveled extensively to China since 1982, and have witnessed
>> firsthand the growth of industry, infrastructure, and the shift from
>> fairly low energy means of transportation such as bicycles, motor
>> scooters, trains, buses, and just plain foot power to a highly
>> mechanized motorcade of cars and other combustion engines. Because
>> Dr. Raven has worked with many different countries and especially
>> China we discussed the biodiversity of plants along the more
>> industrialized eastern sections of the country and shared the same
>> view. It is an ecological travesty and a disaster. The rivers are
>> extremely polluted, the natural resources are exploited to the
>> breaking point and in a lot of cities the air quality is deplorable.
>> What does that have to do with this subject? I believe it has to do
>> with the fact that China is a window into the future of any
>> developing nation dealing with a very high demand on all of its
>> resources because of population explosions. When I immigrated to the
>> US in 1956 there were 150 million people. Today there are over 300
>> million people. The burgeoning demands on all of our resources will
>> continue to grow and it scares the hell out of me to think that China
>> is an example of what could happen here. I am sure there are a few
>> right now saying that can’t happen, but in just the last 20 years of
>> my travelling back and forth from St. Louis to my central Missouri
>> farm in Osage County I have seen a tremendous amount of growth and
>> development that has continued to gobble up prime farm real estate
>> and wildlife habitat. I have travelled all over the US and seen the
>> same explosion.
>>
>>
>>
>> I truly believe that Missouri needs a comprehensive energy, land,
>> water, and resource utilization plan that inventories what we have
>> today and how we best intend to utilize those resources in the
>> future, as well as position Missouri to attract the leading process
>> providers in this industry.. Dr. Clarence Lehman and some of his
>> colleagues at the University of Minnesota prepared a very
>> comprehensive feasibility study for the White Horse Indian
>> reservation, that “presents a detailed analysis of the economic and
>> technical feasibility of utilizing existing biomass resources on the
>> White Horse Reservation to develop a renewable energy biofuels
>> demonstration facility. It also considers the possibility of
>> developing, harvesting and marketing native prairie plants and seeds
>> for bioenergy production.” I am copying Dr Lehman on this email
>> since he was kind enough to provide me with a copy of this extremely
>> professional and well done study. I am sharing the executive summary
>> with this group since I believe it is imperative that the policy
>> makers and the decision makers of this state become well informed
>> regarding this important subject. There will be many companies and
>> people purported to have the solutions and answers for this hot and
>> politically charges subject. I believe the State of Missouri should
>> do a similar study before deciding how and where to spend the money
>> that is going to be expended for this exciting new industry. We have
>> an opportunity to get it right and combine our industrial efforts and
>> economic stimulus with environmental and conservation causes that are
>> scientifically sound and environmentally sustainable. I believe the
>> 20 years that Dr. Tilman and other renowned scientists have studied
>> the benefits of a diverse and varied planting has convinced me the
>> sustainable way of taking this industry is thru the use of our
>> prairie planting and the many benefits derived from this once
>> abundant and beneficial eco system. I am working with the process
>> providers to convince them to develop their processes to be able to
>> fully utilize these resources. It is up to the assigned
>> representatives of Missouri to come up with a plan to attract
>> investment. The planting of grasslands is an essential part of the
>> needs of this industry, and needs to be a very high priority or we
>> will be left out of the mainstream movement. If you don’t have the
>> supply of biomass material the process providers will not come. I
>> believe such a study would certainly be a good first step in the
>> right direction. If Dr. Lehman approves the idea I will send
>> interested parties a full copy of this report, or would be happy to
>> meet with them to review the entire report.” This study evaluated the
>> conversion platforms ranging from the simple to the complex with the
>> common goal of converting renewable biomass to some useful form of
>> energy that is called biofuel.”
>>
>>
>>
>> The question to be answered by the study are:
>>
>> 1.How do the various conversion platforms differ?
>>
>> 2.How does plant scale affect economic performance?
>>
>> 3.What are capital costs and return on investment for the platforms?
>>
>> 4.What is the financial impact of biomass cost and rack prices of
>> ethanol and gasoline?
>>
>> 5. How much biomass is required for different platforms?
>>
>>
>>
>> I have purchased 1100 acres of land in Putnam county and will be
>> converting the marginal agricultural land to native prairie plantings
>> and am currently working with the MDC, PLM John Murphy to provide an
>> example of what can be done with WSG plantings and have at least 300
>> to 500 acres of prairie plantings available for our process providers
>> by the time they are ready to take their process commercial. This is
>> obviously a drop in the bucket since it will take over four hundred
>> thousands acres to support a single 50 mm gallon economically
>> viable plant, and as has been pointed out within a economical viable
>> range of that plant. I am taking the prairie planting route since it
>> provides so many environmental benefits that are lacking in
>> monolithic plantings of most other alternatives. Since this farm is
>> located near an area that once supported prairie chickens I am hoping
>> an added befit will be to provide the wildlife friendly grasses and
>> forbs necessary to the survival of this diminishing species.
>>
>>
>>
>> In addition, Dr. Tilman’s studies have repeatedly demonstrated these
>> benefits to be to sequester CO2, filter the water, as well as
>> replenish the ground water table, prevent soil erosion, provide
>> innumerable wildlife habitat benefits, and provide the insects and
>> forage that most cool season grasses, especially fescue is lacking.
>> Even if Biofuel develops in a different direction or not at all these
>> biodiverse plantings in native prairie are a sound investment in our
>> environment and our wildlife conservation program.. The very
>> biodiversity that makes them a challenge will bring out the best in
>> our technological superiority, and our ingenuity. We did to go to
>> the moon without overcoming challenges and developing new products
>> and technology. No, I believe if we had not gone to the moon many of
>> the new scientific break thru in computer technology, propellants
>> and untold other new inventions that would not be with us today.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have traveled throughout the US and Canada hunting the bountiful
>> wildlife we are so privileged to have and repeatedly sung the praises
>> of our state as leaders in conservation and wildlife practices. We
>> are at a threshold of opportunity and it is thru leadership by
>> example and making informed decisions based on science and biology
>> that we will take our rightful role in this very important movement.
>> Please do not be misled by political or special interest groups that
>> do not take our wildlife and our most precious resources into
>> consideration, but seem to have simplistic and self serving answers.
>> I have seen the end result of that process in China and can only work
>> frantically on my properties to show an example of what can be a
>> viable and sustainable alternative. I hope all of you will become
>> informed on the entire subject and not just some small narrow band of
>> interest. Take the challenge, help be part of the solution and not
>> the problem. Please take time to read the attachment and if Dr .
>> Lehman approves the idea I will send the interested parties the
>> entire study.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Bill McGuire [mailto:Bill.McGuire at mdc.mo.gov]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 10:05 AM
>> *To:* 'steveaflick at earthlink.net
>> <mailto:%27steveaflick at earthlink.net>'; 'Scott Woodbury'; 'Hamilton
>> Native Outpost'; 'Frank Oberle'; Rudi Roeslein; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin
>> Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; John Hoskins;
>> 'John Burk'; John Knudsen; 'Steve Mowry'; Dave Erickson; 'Denny
>> Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner';
>> 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Mike
>> Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; Andrew Forbes; 'James Trager'; 'Tim
>> Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire'; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> 'Dave Murphy'; Bill Bergh; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen Powell'; 'JR
>> Flores'; 'Eddie Hamill'; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; 'Darlene Johnson';
>> 'Karen Brinkman'; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; 'Jean
>> Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Jerry Kaiser'; 'Ken Struemph';
>> staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> CRP is a national program and the reasons it exists are complex.
>> There is not a lot of support at the national level (more broadly
>> than conveyed below) to moving CRP away from the soil, water,
>> wildlife and related purposes that have been legislated. There is
>> more support for the idea of CRP as a reservoir of biomass feedstocks
>> if done as compatible use (i.e. harvest OK as long as the purposes of
>> the program are preserved and in accordance with existing authorities
>> which reflect negotiated position among many diverse groups) – there
>> is less support as thinking moves CRP away from that paradigm. Some
>> of the USDA representatives receiving this message can correct me if
>> wrong but biomass harvest from CRP has been possible since the 2002
>> Farm Bill. It is also important to know that CRP has been an
>> important emergency reservoir of forage that has benefited livestock
>> producers in times of weather-related disaster (many, many times in
>> just about every state with significant CRP) and that is only
>> possible by way of CRP being what it is. CRP has always been viewed
>> as a reservoir of land that could quickly go back in crop production
>> in the event of national emergency such as war (the Secretary of
>> Agriculture has authority to make that call). It won’t be possible
>> for CRP to be all of the above all the time and changing the magic of
>> the formula that created and maintains CRP could erode flexibility
>> for the land to be what the country needs when it is needed.
>>
>>
>>
>> There is much uncertainty about the CRP and biofuel feedstock
>> production but the following factors are very much at play:
>>
>>
>>
>> · Producing biofuel feedstocks on CRP or other land will
>> accomplish little unless there is a processing or other facility to
>> use it within a reasonable distance (50-75 miles is the distance
>> usually discussed because to transport farther makes biofuel
>> production uneconomical).
>>
>> · Industry (and often academia) continues to be focused on
>> maximizing production from single-purpose monoculture production and
>> that will drive things in the short term which could turn into the
>> long term.
>>
>> · Funding and economics will be the overriding factors for
>> some time to come (as in money from programs, tax or other incentives
>> and bottom-line profitability).
>>
>> · Change to CRP that benefits wildlife in one part of the
>> U.S. can result in harm to wildlife if applied in another place.
>>
>>
>>
>> A final word on CRP is simply to be aware that the playing field is
>> very complicated as is the biofuels playing field. Put them together
>> and you have a 3-D chess game in terms of complexity and that is
>> loaded with potential for unintended consequence. My only advice is
>> to seek to understand all the issues before coming to very many
>> conclusions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Bill
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Steve Flick [mailto:steveaflick at earthlink.net]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:46 AM
>> *To:* 'Scott Woodbury'; 'Hamilton Native Outpost'; 'Frank Oberle';
>> 'Rudi Roeslein'; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; John Hoskins;
>> 'John Burk'; John Knudsen; 'Steve Mowry'; Dave Erickson; 'Denny
>> Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner';
>> 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Mike
>> Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; Andrew Forbes; 'James Trager'; 'Tim
>> Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire'; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> 'Dave Murphy'; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen
>> Powell'; 'JR Flores'; 'Eddie Hamill'; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek;
>> 'Darlene Johnson'; 'Karen Brinkman'; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson;
>> Aaron Jeffries; 'Jean Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Jerry Kaiser';
>> 'Ken Struemph'; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> I have been growing miscanthus for years as a feedstock for the bio
>> refinery- although there is a FSA program about to be launched for
>> spring 2010 for dedicated energy crop production- you still need a
>> organization to purchase that crop- and refine it
>>
>>
>>
>> As it relates to CRP- I believe you will have to get through policy
>> of NWF/EDL/Nature Conservancy- to make that happen- they are big
>> policy makers in D.C.- pretty tough assignment
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards
>>
>>
>>
>> Steve A Flick Principal Environmental Ecologist
>>
>> Flick Seed Company
>>
>> 1764 N.W. 50 rd P.O. Box 128
>>
>> Kingsville, Mo. 64061
>>
>> 816-597-3822(o)
>>
>> 816-597-3663(f)
>>
>> www.seedguys.com <http://www.seedguys.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Think Green. Please consider the environment before printing this
>> e-mail.**
>> *
>> electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains
>> information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications
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>> cooperation
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* Scott Woodbury [mailto:Scott.Woodbury at mobot.org]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:32 AM
>> *To:* Hamilton Native Outpost; Frank Oberle; Rudi Roeslein; Carol
>> Davit; Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>> *Cc:* Ben Duffield; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John Hoskins; John
>> Burk; John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; David Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne
>> Morton; George Seek; Kelly Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Alan Leary;
>> Ted Cooper; Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew
>> Forbes; James Trager; Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire; DeeCee
>> Darrow; John Murphy; Dave Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; Dwaine
>> Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR Flores; Eddie Hamill; Gene Gardner; Tim
>> Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen Brinkman; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson;
>> Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry
>> Kaiser; Ken Struemph; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> This sounds great as long as long as landowners opt for a diverse
>> planting in CRP. Right now the research on biomass is showing that
>> sterile hybrid miscanthus yields 2-3 times as much biomass as native
>> switchgrass, and therefore could bring in more money. That’s
>> comparing a pure stand of switchgrass to a pure stand of miscanthus.
>> Now days’ CRP isn’t a pure stand of switchgrass. My fear is that
>> landowners will drop CRP when they see that they can make more money
>> growing miscanthus? Of course this can’t happen until Miscanthus
>> production becomes mechanized. Please tell me otherwise. I don’t like
>> the idea of miscanthus replacing CRP.
>>
>>
>>
>> Scott
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Hamilton Native Outpost [mailto:hamilton at train.missouri.org]
>> *Sent:* Monday, December 14, 2009 1:56 PM
>> *To:* 'Frank Oberle'; 'Rudi Roeslein'; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin
>> Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; 'John
>> Hoskins'; 'John Burk'; 'John Knudsen'; 'Steve Mowry'; 'David
>> Erickson'; 'Denny Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly
>> Srigley Werner'; 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan
>> Hazelwood'; 'Mike Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; 'Andrew Forbes'; James
>> Trager; Scott Woodbury; 'Tim Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire';
>> 'DeeCee Darrow'; 'John Murphy'; 'Dave Murphy'; 'Bill Bergh'; 'Bill
>> McGuire'; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen Powell'; 'JR Flores'; 'Eddie
>> Hamill'; 'Gene Gardner'; 'Tim Banek'; 'Darlene Johnson'; 'Karen
>> Brinkman'; 'Brent Jamison'; 'Keith Jackson'; 'Aaron Jeffries'; 'Jean
>> Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Steve Flick'; 'Jerry Kaiser'; 'Ken
>> Struemph'; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> CRP as we have known it in the past may have been a fescue field or a
>> rank stand of native grasses with little diversity. Conservation is
>> ready to step up to the next level and create rare and declining
>> habitat. To marry biofuels with wildlife conservation has the added
>> benefit of bringing disturbance into the picture. Disturbance is
>> important to grasslands; fire, herbivores, and climatic extremes once
>> acted as disturbance factors. The use of the mowing on the biofuel ¼
>> or 1/3 would be a forn of disturbance as would the burning on another
>> ¼ or 1/3. Some of the grassland wildlife is even dependent on this
>> disturbance. I think this has lots of potential.
>>
>>
>>
>> Amy Hamilton
>>
>> Hamilton Native Outpost
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Frank Oberle [mailto:foberle at nemr.net]
>> *Sent:* Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:00 PM
>> *To:* Rudi Roeslein; Carol Davit; Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>> *Cc:* Ben Duffield; Amy Hamilton; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John
>> Hoskins; John Burk; John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; Amy Buechler; David
>> Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne Morton; George Seek; John Burk; Kelly
>> Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Steve Mowry; Alan Leary; Ted Cooper;
>> Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew Forbes; James
>> Trager; Scott Woodbury; Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire;
>> DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy; Dave Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire;
>> Dwaine Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR Flores; Eddie Hamill; Dwaine Gelnar;
>> Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen Brinkman; Brent
>> Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve
>> Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry Kaiser; Ken Struemph; Andrew Forbes;
>> staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* Fw: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Policy and Policymakers*
>>
>>
>> *In Washington,* the popularity of the USDA's Biomass Crop Assistance
>> Program has soared, with the number of qualifying facilities now
>> exceeding 280
>>
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102878250501&s=2761&e=001GCQRvDWWio9VqdgKxH5ka5Xk
UUSUmFWBbXSArjKjhTtaDOpWohH_PRRKv98bxvAubhTlGoXmbGveN7sRWa6GEz4ju1VmK5fz7-Oq
pEpiZsRNmEHUh-ZPKMJQ_9Lmsi62vUvUvzcSOTrOW1QTo1XQ0tfM52QbPr-asoVf5UQ5iEb8wjfs
Z3fSYNt0wbMkB-ANWdUk6lb7IMctDHv-k97r1T8NzZddbx0Uo1mq8IRZa-emZtr0p6VBCbXhd-zP
jLC9>.
>> The Biomass Crop Assistance Program assists agricultural and forest
>> land owners and operators with matching payments for the amount paid
>> for the collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible
>> material by a qualified Biomass Conversion Facility.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Conservationist,
>>
>> I believe the time has come here in Missouri to begin a very
>> strategic plan
>>
>> on how we can become not only serious players in the biomass
>> industry, but how can
>>
>> we improve wildlife habitat at the same time. I will emphatically
>> state there is
>>
>> known scientific evidence that will validate this claim--especially
>> all CRP lands that
>>
>> currently--and maybe futuristically--are enrolled in a plant
>> material--like fescue and
>>
>> brome--that has very little environmental benefits.
>>
>> In order to move an idea forward there has to be action. And
>> there is no action
>>
>> until there is movement. My passion and cause for our state is to
>> add wildlife,
>>
>> environmental and green energy benefits for Northern Missouri. How do
>> we add
>>
>> value to an economically depressed area? Firstly, like a Doctor's
>> oath of promise
>>
>> for receiving his degree: "Never to do Harm." We need to emulate
>> nature's blueprint
>>
>> and follow a path of least resistance. It is always more difficult to
>> bend mother
>>
>> nature to our wants, than it is to assimilate to an ideology that
>> heeds to bending
>>
>> with her.
>>
>> One known truth evident here in N. Missouri is that we can grow
>> native grass and
>>
>> broadleaf legumes. Cellulosic's greatest asset is that indigenous
>> plant material suited to the soil and climate adds to the success of
>> the project. We have the potential of
>>
>> rebuilding CRP with an ecologically sound plant material that will
>> boost biodiversity
>>
>> and reviving rural economies.
>>
>> Please do not take my word for any of this, use the science at
>> hand. There
>>
>> are entrepreneurs willing and hoping for such an opportunity. Does
>> anyone
>>
>> out there have any suggestions on where or how to begin this
>> endeavor? We have
>>
>> nearly 1.5 million acres of CRP here in Missouri. One plan could
>> be that once
>>
>> the re-established CRP acres of any single tract of ground was deemed
>> ready
>>
>> to be engaged into a regime of biomass/wildlife management rotation,
>> one forth to one
>>
>> third of the tract would be allowed to be harvested in the months of
>> October
>>
>> through January. There would be no rental penalty for the landowner
>> to pay if the plant material was used in some biomass project. The
>> next designated portion to be
>>
>> harvested--rather it be one third to one forth--would be eligible
>> for a late spring burn
>>
>> to encourage both forb growth and grass development. When there is
>> plenty of
>>
>> thatch build-up, there are less forbs that will have vigorous
>> growth. We have
>>
>> experienced this fact in our production fields. It works like this.
>> Plants store starches
>>
>> and sugars in their roots systems. In early spring, if there is a
>> canopy of thatch which
>>
>> creates enormous shade, when the emerging plant sends it first two
>> basal leaves
>>
>> for light scouting, perennial and long lived native plants will not
>> take the risk of
>>
>> expending large amounts of root reserves to overtake the canopy--just
>> too risky.
>>
>> There are many possibilities that could be worked out. Currently,
>> though, I believe
>>
>> we could be passing on a great opportunity to rebuild our landscape
>> to a vegetation that is suited to attract and sustain our rare
>> and declining wildlife, but too, the biomass entrepreneurs. It
>> also would be good for pollinators, producers and weaning our
>>
>> nation's dependency on imported fossil fuels. I'm not saying the
>> above is the perfect set of blueprints for a run away success story,
>> however, I can say with wisdom and discernment that CRP could use a
>> make-over that gives the customer--our hard working American
>> taxpayers--real dividends for their investment.
>>
>> In the beginning of the Conservation Reserve Program, the goals
>> of preventing soil erosion and cleaning up our streams was an
>> industrious and very successful
>>
>> conservation accomplishment. We have progressed immensely in the
>> field of understanding and implementing native plant communities and
>> the adverse affects of toxic and invasive fescue. The research going
>> on at NRCS's Plant Material Center and
>>
>> MU's Bradford Farm will yield much to the enhancement of a myriad of
>> wildlife and biomass concerns. Thanks to all those partners
>> supporting these exigencies. fo
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter
>> <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>.
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>> The information transmitted (including attachments) is covered by the
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>> <0565_001.pdf>
> Please correct me if I am wrong, but approximately 53 years ago I
> learned in college chemistry class that more energy is required to
> distill ethanon than is gotten out of the final product. We talked
> about perpetual motion devices at the same time.
>
> I assume that process has not changed, and ethanol production in most
> situations is relying on fossil fuel to heat the mash.
>
> Apparently the money trail is what counts, not the energy trail in
> ethanol production.....I'm not going there.
>
> If distilation of alcohol could be accomplished using the spent steam
> from steam generating plants (coal gas and NUKE), it seems the ethanol
> manufacturers could hold their heads much higher in this greening world.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Dec 21, 2009, at 2:06 PM, Rudi Roeslein <RRoeslein at ROESLEIN.com
> <mailto:RRoeslein at ROESLEIN.com>> wrote:
>
>> Thank you all for your professional and very well thought out and
>> varied input on this matter. I am the CEO of a company
>> www.roeslein.com <http://www.roeslein.com> that has actually been
>> involved in the ethanol industry for a number of years and in fact
>> just completed two very large corn based projects for EBenX/Abengoa,
>> in Illinois and in Indiana. We have also worked with BlueFire on
>> their Lancaster California proposed project for several years. We
>> have also been instrumental in taking modular processes to over 40
>> different countries in the past 20 years using a modular approach
>> that uses American Technology, but more importantly our labor to
>> produce and manufacture over 60 % of the labor that would normally be
>> stick built in these foreign countries. All of these processes were
>> proven and commercially viable, and they had a track record of
>> success in the US before we took them overseas.
>>
>>
>>
>> The facts regarding the bio fuel industry and which technology will
>> actually prove to be commercially viable are still evolving and
>> unproven commercially. There are several technologies that have been
>> proven to work in both laboratory scales and even with demonstration
>> scales. It is however a huge leap commercially and technologically
>> to scale these units up to a commercially viable production facility.
>> It will take companies with a proven track record of success in
>> related industries and that have the financial staying power to
>> weather the financial droughts to be successful in this arena. I
>> have spent the last three years studying this industry in order to
>> make sound and well informed decisions on which process company we
>> should engage our modular services with the expectation of provide
>> long term modular engineering and manufacturing services.
>>
>> I have also visited the University of Minnesota and met with Dr.
>> David Tilman and Dr. Clarence Lehman to discuss their views on this
>> subject and to visit their research farm where they are growing
>> various grasses and conducting a variety of tests. I have also met
>> with Dr. Peter Raven, the Director of the Missouri Botanical garden
>> regarding the biodiversity of plants and animals and how various
>> countries like China are dealing with their industrialization and the
>> environment. I have read countless magazines, articles, publications
>> and must profess I still do not pretend to be “smarter than a fifth
>> grader”. These efforts were all towards making a sound decision as
>> to the right decision on feedstock materials.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have traveled extensively to China since 1982, and have witnessed
>> firsthand the growth of industry, infrastructure, and the shift from
>> fairly low energy means of transportation such as bicycles, motor
>> scooters, trains, buses, and just plain foot power to a highly
>> mechanized motorcade of cars and other combustion engines. Because
>> Dr. Raven has worked with many different countries and especially
>> China we discussed the biodiversity of plants along the more
>> industrialized eastern sections of the country and shared the same
>> view. It is an ecological travesty and a disaster. The rivers are
>> extremely polluted, the natural resources are exploited to the
>> breaking point and in a lot of cities the air quality is deplorable.
>> What does that have to do with this subject? I believe it has to do
>> with the fact that China is a window into the future of any
>> developing nation dealing with a very high demand on all of its
>> resources because of population explosions. When I immigrated to the
>> US in 1956 there were 150 million people. Today there are over 300
>> million people. The burgeoning demands on all of our resources will
>> continue to grow and it scares the hell out of me to think that China
>> is an example of what could happen here. I am sure there are a few
>> right now saying that can’t happen, but in just the last 20 years of
>> my travelling back and forth from St. Louis to my central Missouri
>> farm in Osage County I have seen a tremendous amount of growth and
>> development that has continued to gobble up prime farm real estate
>> and wildlife habitat. I have travelled all over the US and seen the
>> same explosion.
>>
>>
>>
>> I truly believe that Missouri needs a comprehensive energy, land,
>> water, and resource utilization plan that inventories what we have
>> today and how we best intend to utilize those resources in the
>> future, as well as position Missouri to attract the leading process
>> providers in this industry.. Dr. Clarence Lehman and some of his
>> colleagues at the University of Minnesota prepared a very
>> comprehensive feasibility study for the White Horse Indian
>> reservation, that “presents a detailed analysis of the economic and
>> technical feasibility of utilizing existing biomass resources on the
>> White Horse Reservation to develop a renewable energy biofuels
>> demonstration facility. It also considers the possibility of
>> developing, harvesting and marketing native prairie plants and seeds
>> for bioenergy production.” I am copying Dr Lehman on this email
>> since he was kind enough to provide me with a copy of this extremely
>> professional and well done study. I am sharing the executive summary
>> with this group since I believe it is imperative that the policy
>> makers and the decision makers of this state become well informed
>> regarding this important subject. There will be many companies and
>> people purported to have the solutions and answers for this hot and
>> politically charges subject. I believe the State of Missouri should
>> do a similar study before deciding how and where to spend the money
>> that is going to be expended for this exciting new industry. We have
>> an opportunity to get it right and combine our industrial efforts and
>> economic stimulus with environmental and conservation causes that are
>> scientifically sound and environmentally sustainable. I believe the
>> 20 years that Dr. Tilman and other renowned scientists have studied
>> the benefits of a diverse and varied planting has convinced me the
>> sustainable way of taking this industry is thru the use of our
>> prairie planting and the many benefits derived from this once
>> abundant and beneficial eco system. I am working with the process
>> providers to convince them to develop their processes to be able to
>> fully utilize these resources. It is up to the assigned
>> representatives of Missouri to come up with a plan to attract
>> investment. The planting of grasslands is an essential part of the
>> needs of this industry, and needs to be a very high priority or we
>> will be left out of the mainstream movement. If you don’t have the
>> supply of biomass material the process providers will not come. I
>> believe such a study would certainly be a good first step in the
>> right direction. If Dr. Lehman approves the idea I will send
>> interested parties a full copy of this report, or would be happy to
>> meet with them to review the entire report.” This study evaluated the
>> conversion platforms ranging from the simple to the complex with the
>> common goal of converting renewable biomass to some useful form of
>> energy that is called biofuel.”
>>
>>
>>
>> The question to be answered by the study are:
>>
>> 1.How do the various conversion platforms differ?
>>
>> 2.How does plant scale affect economic performance?
>>
>> 3.What are capital costs and return on investment for the platforms?
>>
>> 4.What is the financial impact of biomass cost and rack prices of
>> ethanol and gasoline?
>>
>> 5. How much biomass is required for different platforms?
>>
>>
>>
>> I have purchased 1100 acres of land in Putnam county and will be
>> converting the marginal agricultural land to native prairie plantings
>> and am currently working with the MDC, PLM John Murphy to provide an
>> example of what can be done with WSG plantings and have at least 300
>> to 500 acres of prairie plantings available for our process providers
>> by the time they are ready to take their process commercial. This is
>> obviously a drop in the bucket since it will take over four hundred
>> thousands acres to support a single 50 mm gallon economically
>> viable plant, and as has been pointed out within a economical viable
>> range of that plant. I am taking the prairie planting route since it
>> provides so many environmental benefits that are lacking in
>> monolithic plantings of most other alternatives. Since this farm is
>> located near an area that once supported prairie chickens I am hoping
>> an added befit will be to provide the wildlife friendly grasses and
>> forbs necessary to the survival of this diminishing species.
>>
>>
>>
>> In addition, Dr. Tilman’s studies have repeatedly demonstrated these
>> benefits to be to sequester CO2, filter the water, as well as
>> replenish the ground water table, prevent soil erosion, provide
>> innumerable wildlife habitat benefits, and provide the insects and
>> forage that most cool season grasses, especially fescue is lacking.
>> Even if Biofuel develops in a different direction or not at all these
>> biodiverse plantings in native prairie are a sound investment in our
>> environment and our wildlife conservation program.. The very
>> biodiversity that makes them a challenge will bring out the best in
>> our technological superiority, and our ingenuity. We did to go to
>> the moon without overcoming challenges and developing new products
>> and technology. No, I believe if we had not gone to the moon many of
>> the new scientific break thru in computer technology, propellants
>> and untold other new inventions that would not be with us today.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have traveled throughout the US and Canada hunting the bountiful
>> wildlife we are so privileged to have and repeatedly sung the praises
>> of our state as leaders in conservation and wildlife practices. We
>> are at a threshold of opportunity and it is thru leadership by
>> example and making informed decisions based on science and biology
>> that we will take our rightful role in this very important movement.
>> Please do not be misled by political or special interest groups that
>> do not take our wildlife and our most precious resources into
>> consideration, but seem to have simplistic and self serving answers.
>> I have seen the end result of that process in China and can only work
>> frantically on my properties to show an example of what can be a
>> viable and sustainable alternative. I hope all of you will become
>> informed on the entire subject and not just some small narrow band of
>> interest. Take the challenge, help be part of the solution and not
>> the problem. Please take time to read the attachment and if Dr .
>> Lehman approves the idea I will send the interested parties the
>> entire study.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Bill McGuire [mailto:Bill.McGuire at mdc.mo.gov]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 10:05 AM
>> *To:* 'steveaflick at earthlink.net
>> <mailto:%27steveaflick at earthlink.net>'; 'Scott Woodbury'; 'Hamilton
>> Native Outpost'; 'Frank Oberle'; Rudi Roeslein; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin
>> Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; John Hoskins;
>> 'John Burk'; John Knudsen; 'Steve Mowry'; Dave Erickson; 'Denny
>> Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner';
>> 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Mike
>> Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; Andrew Forbes; 'James Trager'; 'Tim
>> Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire'; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> 'Dave Murphy'; Bill Bergh; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen Powell'; 'JR
>> Flores'; 'Eddie Hamill'; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; 'Darlene Johnson';
>> 'Karen Brinkman'; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; 'Jean
>> Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Jerry Kaiser'; 'Ken Struemph';
>> staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> CRP is a national program and the reasons it exists are complex.
>> There is not a lot of support at the national level (more broadly
>> than conveyed below) to moving CRP away from the soil, water,
>> wildlife and related purposes that have been legislated. There is
>> more support for the idea of CRP as a reservoir of biomass feedstocks
>> if done as compatible use (i.e. harvest OK as long as the purposes of
>> the program are preserved and in accordance with existing authorities
>> which reflect negotiated position among many diverse groups) – there
>> is less support as thinking moves CRP away from that paradigm. Some
>> of the USDA representatives receiving this message can correct me if
>> wrong but biomass harvest from CRP has been possible since the 2002
>> Farm Bill. It is also important to know that CRP has been an
>> important emergency reservoir of forage that has benefited livestock
>> producers in times of weather-related disaster (many, many times in
>> just about every state with significant CRP) and that is only
>> possible by way of CRP being what it is. CRP has always been viewed
>> as a reservoir of land that could quickly go back in crop production
>> in the event of national emergency such as war (the Secretary of
>> Agriculture has authority to make that call). It won’t be possible
>> for CRP to be all of the above all the time and changing the magic of
>> the formula that created and maintains CRP could erode flexibility
>> for the land to be what the country needs when it is needed.
>>
>>
>>
>> There is much uncertainty about the CRP and biofuel feedstock
>> production but the following factors are very much at play:
>>
>>
>>
>> · Producing biofuel feedstocks on CRP or other land will
>> accomplish little unless there is a processing or other facility to
>> use it within a reasonable distance (50-75 miles is the distance
>> usually discussed because to transport farther makes biofuel
>> production uneconomical).
>>
>> · Industry (and often academia) continues to be focused on
>> maximizing production from single-purpose monoculture production and
>> that will drive things in the short term which could turn into the
>> long term.
>>
>> · Funding and economics will be the overriding factors for
>> some time to come (as in money from programs, tax or other incentives
>> and bottom-line profitability).
>>
>> · Change to CRP that benefits wildlife in one part of the
>> U.S. can result in harm to wildlife if applied in another place.
>>
>>
>>
>> A final word on CRP is simply to be aware that the playing field is
>> very complicated as is the biofuels playing field. Put them together
>> and you have a 3-D chess game in terms of complexity and that is
>> loaded with potential for unintended consequence. My only advice is
>> to seek to understand all the issues before coming to very many
>> conclusions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Bill
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Steve Flick [mailto:steveaflick at earthlink.net]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:46 AM
>> *To:* 'Scott Woodbury'; 'Hamilton Native Outpost'; 'Frank Oberle';
>> 'Rudi Roeslein'; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; John Hoskins;
>> 'John Burk'; John Knudsen; 'Steve Mowry'; Dave Erickson; 'Denny
>> Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner';
>> 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Mike
>> Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; Andrew Forbes; 'James Trager'; 'Tim
>> Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire'; DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy;
>> 'Dave Murphy'; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen
>> Powell'; 'JR Flores'; 'Eddie Hamill'; Gene Gardner; Tim Banek;
>> 'Darlene Johnson'; 'Karen Brinkman'; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson;
>> Aaron Jeffries; 'Jean Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Jerry Kaiser';
>> 'Ken Struemph'; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> I have been growing miscanthus for years as a feedstock for the bio
>> refinery- although there is a FSA program about to be launched for
>> spring 2010 for dedicated energy crop production- you still need a
>> organization to purchase that crop- and refine it
>>
>>
>>
>> As it relates to CRP- I believe you will have to get through policy
>> of NWF/EDL/Nature Conservancy- to make that happen- they are big
>> policy makers in D.C.- pretty tough assignment
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards
>>
>>
>>
>> Steve A Flick Principal Environmental Ecologist
>>
>> Flick Seed Company
>>
>> 1764 N.W. 50 rd P.O. Box 128
>>
>> Kingsville, Mo. 64061
>>
>> 816-597-3822(o)
>>
>> 816-597-3663(f)
>>
>> www.seedguys.com <http://www.seedguys.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Think Green. Please consider the environment before printing this
>> e-mail.**
>> *
>> electronic Privacy Notice. This e-mail, and any attachments, contains
>> information that is, or may be, covered by electronic communications
>> privacy laws, and is also confidential and proprietary in nature. If
>> you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that you are
>> legally prohibited from retaining, using, copying, distributing, or
>> otherwise disclosing this information in any manner. Instead, please
>> reply to the sender that you have received this communication in
>> error, and then immediately delete it. Thank you in advance for your
>> cooperation
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* Scott Woodbury [mailto:Scott.Woodbury at mobot.org]
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:32 AM
>> *To:* Hamilton Native Outpost; Frank Oberle; Rudi Roeslein; Carol
>> Davit; Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>> *Cc:* Ben Duffield; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John Hoskins; John
>> Burk; John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; David Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne
>> Morton; George Seek; Kelly Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Alan Leary;
>> Ted Cooper; Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew
>> Forbes; James Trager; Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire; DeeCee
>> Darrow; John Murphy; Dave Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire; Dwaine
>> Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR Flores; Eddie Hamill; Gene Gardner; Tim
>> Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen Brinkman; Brent Jamison; Keith Jackson;
>> Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry
>> Kaiser; Ken Struemph; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> This sounds great as long as long as landowners opt for a diverse
>> planting in CRP. Right now the research on biomass is showing that
>> sterile hybrid miscanthus yields 2-3 times as much biomass as native
>> switchgrass, and therefore could bring in more money. That’s
>> comparing a pure stand of switchgrass to a pure stand of miscanthus.
>> Now days’ CRP isn’t a pure stand of switchgrass. My fear is that
>> landowners will drop CRP when they see that they can make more money
>> growing miscanthus? Of course this can’t happen until Miscanthus
>> production becomes mechanized. Please tell me otherwise. I don’t like
>> the idea of miscanthus replacing CRP.
>>
>>
>>
>> Scott
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Hamilton Native Outpost [mailto:hamilton at train.missouri.org]
>> *Sent:* Monday, December 14, 2009 1:56 PM
>> *To:* 'Frank Oberle'; 'Rudi Roeslein'; 'Carol Davit'; 'Kevin
>> Carpenter'; 'Jon Wingo'
>> *Cc:* 'Ben Duffield'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Mervin Wallace'; 'John
>> Hoskins'; 'John Burk'; 'John Knudsen'; 'Steve Mowry'; 'David
>> Erickson'; 'Denny Donnell'; 'Wayne Morton'; 'George Seek'; 'Kelly
>> Srigley Werner'; 'Linda Tossing'; 'Alan Leary'; 'Ted Cooper'; 'Susan
>> Hazelwood'; 'Mike Currier'; 'Steve Heyling'; 'Andrew Forbes'; James
>> Trager; Scott Woodbury; 'Tim Barksdale'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'phil wire';
>> 'DeeCee Darrow'; 'John Murphy'; 'Dave Murphy'; 'Bill Bergh'; 'Bill
>> McGuire'; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Allen Powell'; 'JR Flores'; 'Eddie
>> Hamill'; 'Gene Gardner'; 'Tim Banek'; 'Darlene Johnson'; 'Karen
>> Brinkman'; 'Brent Jamison'; 'Keith Jackson'; 'Aaron Jeffries'; 'Jean
>> Herman'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Steve Flick'; 'Jerry Kaiser'; 'Ken
>> Struemph'; staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* RE: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>> CRP as we have known it in the past may have been a fescue field or a
>> rank stand of native grasses with little diversity. Conservation is
>> ready to step up to the next level and create rare and declining
>> habitat. To marry biofuels with wildlife conservation has the added
>> benefit of bringing disturbance into the picture. Disturbance is
>> important to grasslands; fire, herbivores, and climatic extremes once
>> acted as disturbance factors. The use of the mowing on the biofuel ¼
>> or 1/3 would be a forn of disturbance as would the burning on another
>> ¼ or 1/3. Some of the grassland wildlife is even dependent on this
>> disturbance. I think this has lots of potential.
>>
>>
>>
>> Amy Hamilton
>>
>> Hamilton Native Outpost
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Frank Oberle [mailto:foberle at nemr.net]
>> *Sent:* Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:00 PM
>> *To:* Rudi Roeslein; Carol Davit; Kevin Carpenter; Jon Wingo
>> *Cc:* Ben Duffield; Amy Hamilton; Amy Buechler; Mervin Wallace; John
>> Hoskins; John Burk; John Knudsen; Steve Mowry; Amy Buechler; David
>> Erickson; Denny Donnell; Wayne Morton; George Seek; John Burk; Kelly
>> Srigley Werner; Linda Tossing; Steve Mowry; Alan Leary; Ted Cooper;
>> Susan Hazelwood; Mike Currier; Steve Heyling; Andrew Forbes; James
>> Trager; Scott Woodbury; Tim Barksdale; Tim Reinbott; phil wire;
>> DeeCee Darrow; John Murphy; Dave Murphy; Bill Bergh; Bill McGuire;
>> Dwaine Gelnar; Allen Powell; JR Flores; Eddie Hamill; Dwaine Gelnar;
>> Gene Gardner; Tim Banek; Darlene Johnson; Karen Brinkman; Brent
>> Jamison; Keith Jackson; Aaron Jeffries; Jean Herman; Steve
>> Bruckerhoff; Steve Flick; Jerry Kaiser; Ken Struemph; Andrew Forbes;
>> staceyg at missouri.edu <mailto:staceyg at missouri.edu>
>> *Subject:* Fw: biomass
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Policy and Policymakers*
>>
>>
>> *In Washington,* the popularity of the USDA's Biomass Crop Assistance
>> Program has soared, with the number of qualifying facilities now
>> exceeding 280
>>
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102878250501&s=2761&e=001GCQRvDWWio9VqdgKxH5ka5Xk
UUSUmFWBbXSArjKjhTtaDOpWohH_PRRKv98bxvAubhTlGoXmbGveN7sRWa6GEz4ju1VmK5fz7-Oq
pEpiZsRNmEHUh-ZPKMJQ_9Lmsi62vUvUvzcSOTrOW1QTo1XQ0tfM52QbPr-asoVf5UQ5iEb8wjfs
Z3fSYNt0wbMkB-ANWdUk6lb7IMctDHv-k97r1T8NzZddbx0Uo1mq8IRZa-emZtr0p6VBCbXhd-zP
jLC9>.
>> The Biomass Crop Assistance Program assists agricultural and forest
>> land owners and operators with matching payments for the amount paid
>> for the collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible
>> material by a qualified Biomass Conversion Facility.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Conservationist,
>>
>> I believe the time has come here in Missouri to begin a very
>> strategic plan
>>
>> on how we can become not only serious players in the biomass
>> industry, but how can
>>
>> we improve wildlife habitat at the same time. I will emphatically
>> state there is
>>
>> known scientific evidence that will validate this claim--especially
>> all CRP lands that
>>
>> currently--and maybe futuristically--are enrolled in a plant
>> material--like fescue and
>>
>> brome--that has very little environmental benefits.
>>
>> In order to move an idea forward there has to be action. And
>> there is no action
>>
>> until there is movement. My passion and cause for our state is to
>> add wildlife,
>>
>> environmental and green energy benefits for Northern Missouri. How do
>> we add
>>
>> value to an economically depressed area? Firstly, like a Doctor's
>> oath of promise
>>
>> for receiving his degree: "Never to do Harm." We need to emulate
>> nature's blueprint
>>
>> and follow a path of least resistance. It is always more difficult to
>> bend mother
>>
>> nature to our wants, than it is to assimilate to an ideology that
>> heeds to bending
>>
>> with her.
>>
>> One known truth evident here in N. Missouri is that we can grow
>> native grass and
>>
>> broadleaf legumes. Cellulosic's greatest asset is that indigenous
>> plant material suited to the soil and climate adds to the success of
>> the project. We have the potential of
>>
>> rebuilding CRP with an ecologically sound plant material that will
>> boost biodiversity
>>
>> and reviving rural economies.
>>
>> Please do not take my word for any of this, use the science at
>> hand. There
>>
>> are entrepreneurs willing and hoping for such an opportunity. Does
>> anyone
>>
>> out there have any suggestions on where or how to begin this
>> endeavor? We have
>>
>> nearly 1.5 million acres of CRP here in Missouri. One plan could
>> be that once
>>
>> the re-established CRP acres of any single tract of ground was deemed
>> ready
>>
>> to be engaged into a regime of biomass/wildlife management rotation,
>> one forth to one
>>
>> third of the tract would be allowed to be harvested in the months of
>> October
>>
>> through January. There would be no rental penalty for the landowner
>> to pay if the plant material was used in some biomass project. The
>> next designated portion to be
>>
>> harvested--rather it be one third to one forth--would be eligible
>> for a late spring burn
>>
>> to encourage both forb growth and grass development. When there is
>> plenty of
>>
>> thatch build-up, there are less forbs that will have vigorous
>> growth. We have
>>
>> experienced this fact in our production fields. It works like this.
>> Plants store starches
>>
>> and sugars in their roots systems. In early spring, if there is a
>> canopy of thatch which
>>
>> creates enormous shade, when the emerging plant sends it first two
>> basal leaves
>>
>> for light scouting, perennial and long lived native plants will not
>> take the risk of
>>
>> expending large amounts of root reserves to overtake the canopy--just
>> too risky.
>>
>> There are many possibilities that could be worked out. Currently,
>> though, I believe
>>
>> we could be passing on a great opportunity to rebuild our landscape
>> to a vegetation that is suited to attract and sustain our rare
>> and declining wildlife, but too, the biomass entrepreneurs. It
>> also would be good for pollinators, producers and weaning our
>>
>> nation's dependency on imported fossil fuels. I'm not saying the
>> above is the perfect set of blueprints for a run away success story,
>> however, I can say with wisdom and discernment that CRP could use a
>> make-over that gives the customer--our hard working American
>> taxpayers--real dividends for their investment.
>>
>> In the beginning of the Conservation Reserve Program, the goals
>> of preventing soil erosion and cleaning up our streams was an
>> industrious and very successful
>>
>> conservation accomplishment. We have progressed immensely in the
>> field of understanding and implementing native plant communities and
>> the adverse affects of toxic and invasive fescue. The research going
>> on at NRCS's Plant Material Center and
>>
>> MU's Bradford Farm will yield much to the enhancement of a myriad of
>> wildlife and biomass concerns. Thanks to all those partners
>> supporting these exigencies. fo
>>
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>>
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