Biomass plant idea faces obstacles in Lincoln County, Montana

It’s not a new idea – a biomass power plant located in Lincoln County.
With all of the tree waste to be found in the region, it seems like a given that there would be plenty of material to sustain a biomass facility. But the issue is not so clear cut.

“God, I wish we could,” said Paul Rumelhart, Kootenai River Development Council http://www.krdc.net/ executive director. “It would be such a cure for here.”

Indeed, jobs that such a plant could provide would be welcome relief for a county with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Creating jobs is one of the points behind Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s announcement on Thursday that two Montana energy companies have been awarded $425,000 in grants to complete biomass energy feasibility studies in the western end of the state.

“Biomass is another tool we can use to build a smarter, cleaner energy future for Montana,” Schweitzer said in a press release. “By harnessing this and other innovative energy ideas, we can help ensure the viability of timber jobs for Montana families and communities and manage forest health.”

“The biggest hurdle, of course, is do we have enough feed stock to feed a biomass plant?” Vincent said. “We have enough to feed a couple of them so the question is, can we access it?”

By Brad Fuqua, The Western News

Full Story: http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2009/09/23/news/doc4ab90ae238ce8807322939.txt