Stimulus money for bioenergy projects
Washington Ag Today April 2, 2010 Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Department of Commerce have announced the recipients of more than $16.5 million in grants and loans from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money is for energy efficiency, clean technology, transportation and bioenergy programs throughout the state. The Employment Security Department says agricultural jobs in Washington are looking more attractive again as thousands of unemployed workers look for any opportunity to earn a paycheck. Total agricultural employment – a combination of permanent and seasonal jobs – increased by 7.1 percent last year, an increase of 6,790 jobs over 2008. Seasonal jobs jumped up 19.4 percent last year. Employment Security Department communications manager Jamie Swift says; Swift: “In a tough economy people do cut back on their spending, but they still need to eat. And that is why the agricultural industry is more stable than other industries.” I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ?
Thirteen private and public projects were selected and include a grant to AltAir Fuels in King and Skagit counties to produce biofuels for airplanes from camelina oil; Gen-X Energy Group Inc., Franklin County, which received a grant to support construction of the first unit of a biodiesel refinery in Richland, and AB BioEnergy in Yakima County, which received loans and grants to capture waste streams from their rendering facility, area food processors and restaurants to produce biofuel. Two dairy manure anaerobic digester projects also received grants and loans.
