For Immediate Release: July 21, 2004
Contact: Hillerie Patton 303-239-3671
Vaughn Whatley 303-239-3766

Secretary Norton to Sign Agreement that Focuses Biomass Facility for Jefferson County

DENVER-- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton will join officials from Jefferson County and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Thursday, July 22, 2004, to sign an agreement that authorizes the agencies to study the practicality of creating a biomass conversion facility demonstration project in Jefferson County. 

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the agencies will jointly study the concept of building a biomass conversion plant inside the 6.2 million acre fire-susceptible “Red Zone” in the heart of Jefferson County.  A distinct facet of the MOU is the cooperation among the federal, state and local agencies to coordinate efforts with the goals of reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires within mountain communities and repaying part of the fuels reduction/wildfire prevention outlays.

Biomass is plant matter such as trees, grasses, agricultural crops or other biological material. It can be used as a solid fuel, or converted into liquid or gaseous forms, for the production of electric power, heat, chemicals, or fuels.

Who:    
Gale A. Norton, Secretary of the Interior
Rick Sheean, Jefferson County commissioner
Russell George, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Richard Stem, Acting Regional Forester, Rocky Mountain Region, USDA Forest ServiceBobi Garrett, Associate Director of Planning and Technology Management National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Scott Haasee, Program Manager/Conducting Feasibility Study, McNeil Technology

When: Thursday, July 22, 1 p.m.

Where: 
Jefferson County Administration and Courts Building (the Taj Mahal)
100 Jefferson County Parkway, 
Golden, CO (In the outdoor tent on the West side of the building).

- BLM -