|
|
Legislative Update - January 2008
January 30, 2008
PACD's Revised Energy Strategy
Achieving Pennsylvania's Energy Independence Goals
While
Strengthening Conservation in Pennsylvania
The Critical Role of Pennsylvania's Conservation Districts
ENERGY FACTS
- In 2006, 78,327,000 acres of corn was planted nationwide. In 2007,
92,888,000 acres of corn was planted nationwide, resulting in a 14,561,000
acre increase. In Pennsylvania, corn production acres increased by
100,000 acres from 2006 to 2007.
- In 2005, 4 billion gallons of ethanol was produced in the U.S. By
2012, that figure is estimated to increase to 12 billion gallons of
ethanol.
- In 2001, 20% of the corn produced nationwide was converted to ethanol.
In 2007, over 30% of the total corn production was used to manufacture
ethanol.
- Recently Lake Erie Biofuels plant was awarded funding to build a
plant producing 45 million gallons of biofuels annually.
- In Clearfield County, Bionol Clearfield LLC, a subsidiary of BioEnergy
International, recently selected the site for its proposed $200 million
traditional dry milled corn ethanol plant. This represents a significant
investment in north central PA. The plant will utilize conventional
corn-based technology, will be among the largest east of the Mississippi
River, and one of the nations top 10 based on output. The company
has also committed to developing a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant
to produce fuels using locally available organic wastes such as wood
and agricultural residue.
- It is estimated that PA could produce and consume 1 billion gallons
of biofuel by 2017 containing 30 percent ethanol.
- History has shown that energy production has created negative legacy
issues from in-stream mills, coal mining, and oil and gas wells in
PA. To help prevent negative environmental ramifications from renewable
energy development, PA needs to be proactive in natural resource stewardship
as we pursue increased domestic energy sources.
- A recent report from the Chesapeake Bay Commission entitled, "Biofuels
and the Bay" stated, "Handled correctly, biofuels have the
potential to provide significant and permanent new income sources
for farmers and foresters, while serving as a means to substantially
reduce greenhouse gases and better manage agricultural nutrient loadings
within the watershed. Handled incorrectly, biofuels could lead to
shifts in crop patterns and acreages that create an uncertain future
for farmers and foresters and seriously worsen the overload of nutrients
to our rivers and the Bay."
- New technologies are being developed that utilize combustion, anaerobic
digestion and gasification to generate energy from manure and other
feedstocks.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
- Conservation District services will be needed to provide technical
assistance to keep pace with increased biofuel crop production including
training and education pertaining to conservation practices.
- Increased biofuel crop production will add to nutrient pollution
if not accompanied by conservation measures, and should be seen as
an opportunity to greatly expand cover crops and support for other
agricultural best management practices. A statewide program to promote
no-till and cover crops on farmland will facilitate additional erosion
control.
- As biofuel plants are built and operating in PA, distiller's grain
will become available for animal feed. Nutrient management technical
assistance will become more crucial and conservation districts are
in a position to assist the agricultural community with those needs.
- Conservation districts can provide technical assistance to the agricultural
community as they convert cool season grass production to a warm season
grass for the development of cellulosic based bio-fuels. Additionally,
districts are poised to assist farmers as they convert marginal cropland
to a warm season grass.
- Increasing emphasis on bio-fuel production will alter farm operations
and increase the need for updated and improved conservation plans.
A number of federal and state programs already require farmers to
have a current conservation plan or an agricultural erosion and sediment
control plan to meet the program's standards. Unfortunately, USDA
and state agencies have not been able to provide farmers with the
technical assistance necessary to help farmers meet these needs because
of decreased funding and staffing.
- Pennsylvania's forests hold the potential to provide significant
biomass for methanol production from currently non-utilized portions
of the harvested wood products. Conservation districts can provide
the oversight of these harvesting activities and encourage fast growing
tree species to provide landowners income and protect the resource
base.
- Alternative energy sources such as the development of geothermal
systems, wind and solar power, and the development of small scale
hydropower will necessitate consideration of additional environmental
impacts such as erosion and sedimentation control. Conservation districts
can provide assistance in the earthmoving activities associated with
the construction of these needed energy sources.
- New technologies to generate energy from combustion, digestion and
gasification from manure and other feedstocks need to be accompanied
by proper nutrient management.
- Pennsylvania's Conservation Districts are poised to provide leadership
in the area of stewardship of our non-renewable natural resources
by promoting conservation of these fuels. Districts could become leaders
in educating our citizens about the benefits of energy conservation.
STRATEGIES
In order to achieve energy independence goals there is a need to expand
the technical assistance capacity within Pennsylvania's Conservation
Districts commensurate with the need to develop biofuel and alternative
energy production that also protects soil, water and air resources.
The goal of this strategy is to position Conservation Districts to deliver
new technical assistance necessary to enhance the energy efficiencies
within agriculture. The following funding is needed each year for the
next five years.
Conservation Planning:
- Idaho has a successful website technical assistance system designed
to assist farmers in meeting their "core" natural resource
planning requirements for state and federal programs through web based
conservation planning tool. PA could emulate the Idaho program focusing
on a website allowing PA farmers to develop conservation plan components
consistent with conservation planning requirements.
A Conservation website to produce and maintain an online conservation
planning tool will cost approximately $700,000 over a 5 year period.
| -- Phase 1 planning and development (year 1) |
$250,000
|
| -- Phase 2 implementation (year 2 & 3) |
$250,000
|
--Web site maintenance & Support
(years 2-5) |
$200,000
|
| |
|
- Technical assistance to complete conservation plans begun
with Web-based tool (40 conservation planners needed
|
$2 million
|
| Conservation Planning Total |
$ 2,700,000
|
| |
|
Other Technical Assistance:
- Deliver technical assistance to producers to improve the
energy efficiency of their operations, including field and
machinery operations, crop and livestock production inputs,
and heating, cooling and lighting of buildings; requires hiring
of new multi-county staff.
- Assist producers in adopting sound cropping systems including
crop production on marginal farmland to provide feedstocks
for biofuel production, such as switchgrass for cellulosic
ethanol production and other crops for the manufacture of
biodiesel fuels.
- Oversight of forest harvesting activities for methanol
production.
- Aid landowners and local governments as they develop alternative
energy sources which necessitate consideration of additional
environmental impacts such as erosion and sedimentation control.
- Technical assistance and educational programs for conservation
and nutrient management for the farming community
|
|
| Other Technical Assistance Total |
$ 6,300,000
|
| |
|
Statewide Tillage Program
- Increase adoption of conservation tillage on cropland, with
the goal of at least 50% of producers transitioning to no-till
and a cover crop program by 2012. This new program would be
administered by the State Conservation Commission through
conservation districts
|
|
| Program Total |
$ 1,000,000
|
| |
|
TOTAL
|
$ 10 million
|
Previous Legislative Updates
|
