Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Congressman Hal Rogers Visits Pike County.
Pikeville— U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford and other county and local officials toured two proposed Pike County development sites Monday, the first slated to house a future coal-to-liquid plant and the second slated to house an energy research center.
“The judge and his staff have put together the preliminary studies for these initiatives and I want to commend them for having the vision necessary to make these plans a reality,” said Rogers.
“This is our time, and we’re going to take advantage of it,” Rutherford said, in assurance that the CTL plant and the energy research center would be built. However, Rutherford added undertakings of such magnitude and scope as these would require partnerships between private industry, as well as federal, local and state government.
“The planned facilities, in my opinion, would collectively be the largest economic engine for the people, the economy and the future of Pike County than anything that’s ever been undertaken before—by far,” said Pike County Attorney Howard Keith Hall, who took part in Monday’s tour.
“I think the proposed CTL plant and energy center are good things, and I hope they go through. They would create a lot of jobs, and we’ve got plenty of coal for the CTL plant. I just hope we can get the funding for them and they both work out,” said District Four Magistrate Kenneth Robinson, who also accompanied Rogers on Monday’s tour.
The tour comes after Judge Rutherford’s recent announcement that an energy study recently completed for Pike County revealed the viability of locating both a CTL plant and an energy research center in Pike County. The tour also follows Judge Rutherford’s recent trip to Washington, D.C., to promote the energy study’s findings and other Pike County energy initiatives.
Rogers, Rutherford, and the rest of the assembly first traveled Monday to Big Shoal, to the future sight of the proposed coal-to-liquid plant. The site is located off Thompson Road, behind the Pikeville Wal-Mart. The CTL plant, if constructed on the sight, would cost approximately $4 billion, but according to estimates, the plant would recover its construction costs after only 10 years of operation.
And, “the 50,000 barrels of CTL and 25,000 tons of coal produced at the plant per day would mean the region would secure its future through long-term coal contracts,” Judge Rutherford said.
The 240 acres of land at Big Shoal has immediate access to rail and highway amenities, access to municipal water, sewer and communication utilities, and access to commercial air service through the Pikeville/Pike County Airport. The close proximity of Big Shoal to the Big Sandy River will give the plant a direct water source for industrial use.
“Pike County is well-positioned to attract one of these CTL plants that will provide the good-paying jobs for hundreds of people, who’ll work and live here in Pike County. These two projects will change our area for the better. Through the energy research center and a CTL plant, we will develop clean coal technologies, to make coal competitive well into the future. Coal is the backbone of our region and this will ensure we keep coal as a key to America’s energy future,” said Roger Ford, Director of Energy and Technology.
While Judge Rutherford said the Fiscal Court has received several proposals from companies desiring to construct a coal-to-liquid plant in Pike County, no announcement has been made upon which company will ultimately build the plant. Judge Rutherford has stressed the need to thoroughly examine each of the proposals based upon several considerations, including the threat that each poses to the environment.
“Whatever we do in energy, we’ll be conscious of the environment, but we must balance our ecology with our economy,” Judge Rutherford said recently.
After touring the Big Shoal site, the assembly traveled to Scott Fork, to the future home of the proposed American Energy Research Center. The site is located off U.S. 119. If built, the energy center’s primary research would be related to clean coal and alternative energy technology, but another component would be dedicated to reclaiming Appalachian mountaintops with hardwoods and other native vegetation.
“The judge and his staff have put together the preliminary studies for these initiatives and I want to commend them for having the vision necessary to make these plans a reality,” said Rogers.
“This is our time, and we’re going to take advantage of it,” Rutherford said, in assurance that the CTL plant and the energy research center would be built. However, Rutherford added undertakings of such magnitude and scope as these would require partnerships between private industry, as well as federal, local and state government.
“The planned facilities, in my opinion, would collectively be the largest economic engine for the people, the economy and the future of Pike County than anything that’s ever been undertaken before—by far,” said Pike County Attorney Howard Keith Hall, who took part in Monday’s tour.
“I think the proposed CTL plant and energy center are good things, and I hope they go through. They would create a lot of jobs, and we’ve got plenty of coal for the CTL plant. I just hope we can get the funding for them and they both work out,” said District Four Magistrate Kenneth Robinson, who also accompanied Rogers on Monday’s tour.
The tour comes after Judge Rutherford’s recent announcement that an energy study recently completed for Pike County revealed the viability of locating both a CTL plant and an energy research center in Pike County. The tour also follows Judge Rutherford’s recent trip to Washington, D.C., to promote the energy study’s findings and other Pike County energy initiatives.
Rogers, Rutherford, and the rest of the assembly first traveled Monday to Big Shoal, to the future sight of the proposed coal-to-liquid plant. The site is located off Thompson Road, behind the Pikeville Wal-Mart. The CTL plant, if constructed on the sight, would cost approximately $4 billion, but according to estimates, the plant would recover its construction costs after only 10 years of operation.
And, “the 50,000 barrels of CTL and 25,000 tons of coal produced at the plant per day would mean the region would secure its future through long-term coal contracts,” Judge Rutherford said.
The 240 acres of land at Big Shoal has immediate access to rail and highway amenities, access to municipal water, sewer and communication utilities, and access to commercial air service through the Pikeville/Pike County Airport. The close proximity of Big Shoal to the Big Sandy River will give the plant a direct water source for industrial use.
“Pike County is well-positioned to attract one of these CTL plants that will provide the good-paying jobs for hundreds of people, who’ll work and live here in Pike County. These two projects will change our area for the better. Through the energy research center and a CTL plant, we will develop clean coal technologies, to make coal competitive well into the future. Coal is the backbone of our region and this will ensure we keep coal as a key to America’s energy future,” said Roger Ford, Director of Energy and Technology.
While Judge Rutherford said the Fiscal Court has received several proposals from companies desiring to construct a coal-to-liquid plant in Pike County, no announcement has been made upon which company will ultimately build the plant. Judge Rutherford has stressed the need to thoroughly examine each of the proposals based upon several considerations, including the threat that each poses to the environment.
“Whatever we do in energy, we’ll be conscious of the environment, but we must balance our ecology with our economy,” Judge Rutherford said recently.
After touring the Big Shoal site, the assembly traveled to Scott Fork, to the future home of the proposed American Energy Research Center. The site is located off U.S. 119. If built, the energy center’s primary research would be related to clean coal and alternative energy technology, but another component would be dedicated to reclaiming Appalachian mountaintops with hardwoods and other native vegetation.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 3:21 PM 
