[Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass & energy

Mon Dec 28 11:17:07 CST 2009

Rudi?  Frank had an idea I found interesting and I suspect you have
researched:

What about pellet fuel for home consumption?  Pellet furnaces are gaining
in popularity - I see pellet fuel in almost every hardware store these
days (including Home Depot, Westlake, etc.).

Seems like there would be a lot less processing involved to convert our
grasses into pellet form - and a premium market ($5/50lbs is a typical
price for such fuel now and I know people that buy pallets at a time).

Kevin

> Thanks for that information Steve.  As I wrote in my last email, we are
> working with a number of process providers on this issue and am interested
> in any process that has demonstrated capability in converting biomass to
> alternative fuels. Roeslein and Associates can assist in the development
> and execution of their projects thru our modular concepts.  I would be
> interested in learning more about your process and discussing the
> technology you are using and how you hope to bring this to an economical
> and sustainable conclusion.  I am also interested in developing a long
> term plan that promotes the return of millions of acres of mismanaged CRP,
> and grazing pastures of fescue to WSG and Prairie.  I believe that this is
> a sustainable use of our resources regardless of whether or not the
> biofuel industry is succesful in making a economical scaled up version of
> these processes. The extensive work done by the University of Minnesota,
> and Dr. David Tillman and Dr. Lehman has provided significant scientific
> data to support their claims that a biodivers prairie planting will out
> produce most other plantings in the long run when input costs,
> fertilizers, irrigation, and carbon balance are considered.  See
> attachment.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Flick [mailto:steveaflick at earthlink.net]
> Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2009 12:09 PM
> To: 'Kevin Carpenter'; 'Carpenter Prairie in the Mystic Plains COA'
> Cc: Rudi Roeslein; 'John Knudsen'; 'Jean Herman'; 'Aaron Jeffries'; 'Scott
> Woodbury'; 'Dwaine Gelnar'; 'Tim Reinbott'; 'Steve Mowry'; 'Carol Davit';
> 'Karen Brinkman'; 'Jon Wingo'; 'John Hoskins'; 'Hamilton Native Outpost';
> 'Ted Cooper'; 'Steve Bruckerhoff'; 'Derrick Roeslein'; 'Wayne Morton';
> 'Denny Donnell'; 'Tim Banek'; 'phil wire'; 'Dave Murphy'; 'Alan Leary';
> 'Susan Hazelwood'; 'Ben Duffield'; 'JR Flores'; 'Darlene Johnson'; 'Andrew
> Forbes'; junge037 at umn.edu; 'DeeCee Darrow'; 'Kelly Srigley Werner'; 'Allen
> Powell'; 'Gene Gardner'; 'Amy Buechler'; 'Dave Erickson'; 'George Seek';
> 'John Burk'; 'Linda Tossing'; staceyg at missouri.edu; 'Eddie Hamill';
> 'Belinda Befort'; 'James Trager'; 'Steve Heyling'; 'Keith Jackson'; 'Jerry
> Kaiser'; 'Mike Currier'; 'Bill Bergh'; 'Bill McGuire'; 'Ken Struemph';
> 'Brent Jamison'; 'Tim Barksdale'
> Subject: RE: [Carpenter Prairie Discussion] biomass & energy
>
> 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
>
>>> 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
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>>> 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
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>>
>
>>> I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter
>
>>> <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>.
>
>>> We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam.
>
>>> SPAMfighter has removed 3630 of my spam emails to date.
>
>>> The Professional version does not have this message.
>
>>>
>
>>>
> ****************************************************************************
> ****************************************************************************
> *******************
>
>>> The information transmitted (including attachments) is covered by the
>
>>> Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, is
>
>>> intended only for the person(s) or entity/entities to which it is
>
>>> addressed and might contain confidential and/or privileged material.
>
>>> Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking
>
>>> of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
>
>>> entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you
>
>>> received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the
>
>>> material from any computer. confidential and/or privileged material.
>
>>> Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking
>
>>> of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
>
>>> entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you
>
>>> received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the
>
>>> material from any computer.
>
>>> <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
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>>
>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>>
>
>>> I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter
>
>>> <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>.
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>>>
> ****************************************************************************
> ****************************************************************************
> *******************
>
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>>> <0565_001.pdf>
>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>
>
>> _______________________________________________
>
>> Carpenter mailing list
>
>> Carpenter at mysticplains.org
>
>> http://www.seaplace.org/mailman/listinfo/carpenter
>
>>
>
>
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