Articles
ADAGE Applauds Summit, Talks with Residents about Proposed Biopower Project

- Posted: 02/25/10
Contact: Erin VanSickle (850) 339-3184

Community Dialogue Centers on Jobs, Environmental Controls, Clean Energy and Keeping Gretna Families Safe

ADAGE LLC participated in a summit tonight and answered community members’ questions about the proposed Gretna biopower facility. The Gretna Bioenergy Power Summit brought together stakeholders from the health, environmental, agriculture, and economic development communities.

“ADAGE welcomed this opportunity to provide additional information and answer questions regarding our proposed facility,” said Steve Simmons, Vice President of Business Development for ADAGE. “We are proud of our transparent permitting process and information exchange, including answering community members’ questions one-on-one, so this event was a natural next step for ADAGE. We are grateful that the City of Gretna allowed us to participate.”

“While state and local governmental review proceedings provide many opportunities for public participation, the City of Gretna felt that our community could benefit greatly from an open forum,” noted Matt Carter, PhD, a local pastor and former Chairman of the Public Service Commission who moderated the forum. “I was pleased to facilitate this event and ensure that the community’s conversation from this point forward is based on reality, not rhetoric.”

“As a small business owner in Gadsden County, I am impressed by the economic development impacts this project could have in our community,” noted Hemant Patel. “Gretna and Gadsden County could gain hundreds of new jobs, millions of tax dollars for our schools, and health benefits for employees. It is critical to Gadsden County that we have a positive, credible, and sustainable partner in both economic development and renewable energy—and ADAGE is that partner.”

Economic Development Highlights:

Jobs

During the first 2.5 years of construction and initial operation, the ADAGE proposed project would generate over 1100 jobs. These include:

• 471 direct jobs (which include long term site jobs, long term field jobs and shorter term construction jobs) at the facility
• 525 indirect jobs supporting the construction
• 109 induced jobs in consumer goods and services (restaurants, stores, service stations)

Local Tax Revenues

• Each year, ADAGE would contribute more than $5.3 million in state and local taxes
• In the first year alone, the project would contribute more than $1.4 million in school taxes for Gadsden County schools.
• Over 10 years, ADAGE would pay about $12 million dollars in taxes to the Gadsden County School District. This could equate to approximately 335 new teachers or 19,230 new computers for classrooms across the county.

For more information, go to www.adagebiopower.com.