Georgia County Government - July 2008 - (Page 11)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT continued from page 9 Energy has boosted its grant to the county to support this technology to $100 million, and the planned facility is drawing “more economic development” opportunities to the county with each passing day. A State OneGeorgia grant of $6.7 million has also been secured to support the project. “There are already new restaurants coming in, and service businesses are soon to follow,” Lee asserts. “We welcome Range Fuels to Treutlen County and are proud our workforce and forest resources will play a part in supporting the initiative to develop new sources of renewable energy. “This is the biggest economic development project in our county’s history, and we look forward to partnering with the company as it establishes roots in the community and becomes a national model for cellulosic energy production.” A key factor in Treutlen County’s attracting the plant, Lee says, was infrastructure invested into the SopertonTreutlen Industrial Park prior, by the county. The availability of water and sewer at the site selected offered Range Fuels a ready-made spot in the heart of the commercially cultivated forests the company found so attractive in the region. “We had put in place $1 million in water and sewer upgrades, extending to the industrial park,” Lee points out. Range Fuels is slated to take up the bulk of the park, Lee adds. The park has been expanded by 135 acres to accommodate the incoming industry’s future expansion needs, in addition to the 200 acres it is set to immediately occupy. The company is also going to benefit from a 20-year exemption from ad valorem taxes, Lee says. The Page House Bed & Breakfast in Laurens County is typical of the majestic ante bellum homes in the region. nol and will have the capacity to produce more than 100 million gallons per year. Construction of the first 20 milliongallon-per-year phase will be completed in 2008. Range Fuels is one of six companies selected by the Department of Energy for fi nancial support in building a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant, and is the first to break ground. Range Fuels technology is self-sustaining and uses the same feedstock to make ethanol as it does to operate its plant, minimizing its reliance on fossil fuels and the consequent production of greenhouse gases. Through Range Fuels’ innovative process for producing cellu- losic ethanol, the Soperton plant will use a quarter of the average water required by corn-based ethanol plants per gallon of ethanol produced. In addition, the proximity of the facility to both wood supplies and ethanol markets will minimize energy expended in supplying the facility with feedstock and providing ethanol to consumer markets. What attracted the company to Georgia was its abundance of commercially forested land, as well as its growing bio-energy research and development base and market access. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT continued on page 13 Product Will Position Georgia for a Future in Alternative Fuels Cellulosic ethanol is produced from pine trees and other plant matter. Range Fuels plans to create almost 70 new jobs and invest several hundred million dollars in the Treutlen County facility, which is expected to create an additional 350 indirect jobs. Range Fuels’ Treutlen County plant will use wood and wood waste from Georgia’s pine forests and mills as its feedstock. The facility will initially provide 20 million gallons per year of etha- Mr. Cal Wray, Vice President of Economic Development City of Dublin County of Laurens Development Authority 1200 Bellevue Avenue, P.O. Box 818, Dublin, Georgia 31021 Ofﬁce: 478-272-3118 • Fax: 478-275-0811 • Cell: 478-697-8711 cwray@dublinlaurensgeorgia.com JULY 2008 www.accg.org 11 http://www.dublinlaurensgeorgia.com http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - June 2008

Georgia County Government - June 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Laurens, Treutlen and Wheeler Counties Work Together to Leverage Economic Development 2008 Hurricane Season Forecast to be Active GDEcD: Georgia Is Bolstering International Marketing Efforts U.S. Communities Announces Auto Parts Service Contract Energy Innovation Center Opens in Warner Robins Coweta County Uses Innovative Road Construction Techniques Counties & The Law: An Analysis of Ten Commandments Displays in Georgia Courthouses Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Talbot County Extension News: Youth Summit Teaches Civic Engagement Research Corner: Train Me! NACo News: NACo Seeks Obesity Prevention Programs County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - June 2008

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