Lewis and Clark County officials are seeking $800,000 in federal money they say would support a trio of pilot biofuel projects in the area aimed at turning beetle-killed trees into energy.
In appropriations requests to all three members of Montana’s congressional delegation, the county said the Tri-County Biomass Energy Pilot Project would employ 20 people and explore three projects to find a technology that best meets local needs.
If funded, the projects would include seasonal use of a wood chip/pellet arm at Carroll College for energy needs; a stand-alone boiler at a public works facility; and a test unit for a pyrolysis system at a location that’s yet to be determined. (Pyrolysis is a high-temperature form of burning that produces less atmospheric carbon dioxide than standard incineration.)
The county is seeking an appropriation in the Department of Energy’s Energy and Water Bill.
“I’ll take a close look at every request on my desk to make sure we make good investments in Montanans, and that we do it with strong fiscal discipline,” Sen. Jon Tester said in a statement about the local request. Tester sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “There’s great potential to keep and create jobs and to help secure our energy future with biomass — which is why it’s part of the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act. There’s plenty of biomass in Montana and the folks in Lewis and Clark County recognize its potential.”
The application notes that local forests produce 350,000 tons of woody biomass each year, and the facility that most recently used most of the biomass that was harvested, the Smurfit-Stone plant in Frenchtown near Missoula, just closed. Funding this project would help keep biomass out of the landfill, officials claim.
“Local biomass-energy use connects the community and forest resources to bring together economic development, renewable energy and sustainable forestry at the local scale,” the application reads.
In addition to Broadwater and Jefferson counties, several other public and private entities signed on in support of the proposal, including Carroll College, the Montana Business Assistance Connection, the TriCounty Fire Safe Working Group, RY Lumber in Townsend and the Helena Ranger District.
Lewis and Clark County Commission Chair Mike Murray will travel to Washington later this week to pitch the project (among others) to the congressional delegation.
“It involves three counties, and that’s a unique aspect,” Murray said. “We’re trying to get our neighbors involved so that maybe one of the three of us at least will benefit, and hopefully all three of us.”
The application asks for $100,000 for a wood chip/pellet arm, $300,000 for a stand-alone boiler, $300,000 for a pyrolysis test unit and $100,000 for research and project management.
There are opportunities for matching funds, too. For instance, the Carroll College environmental studies department will work with a contracted consulting firm to design a feasibility study that will include local college students analyzing all aspects of the three pilot technologies. The college will also use its staff to operate the wood chip/pellet arm.
“The abundant fuel source, along with the need for energy, justifies the investigation of biomass technologies that may be suitable to meet this need,” the application says. “There are many technologies available for biomass utilization but without field investigation it is difficult to determine which one or more types of technology will meet our community need.”
John Harrington: 447-4080 or john.harrington@helenair.com
