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Press~Journal photo by Debra Schell~ Middletown BioFuels General Manager Glenn Shirey explains his company’s operations to U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, second from left, Vilsack’s wife, Christie, U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., and state Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading.
USDA’s Vilsack says Biofuels plant is future of U.S. energy
by Debra Schell
Press And Journal Staff
: 5/12/2010
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The Obama Administration’s quest to wean the nation off foreign oil by turning to renewable energy sources brought U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Middletown Friday.
Vilsack, along with Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading, and U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., toured the Middletown BioFuels plant on Emaus Street.
Middletown BioFuels uses oil from soybeans to produce 1.8 million gallons of bio-diesel fuel for transportation and home heating.
“Further developing the biofuel and clean energy industries offers a real opportunity to create a new rural economy that has a foundation for economic growth,” Vilsack said.
Vilsack praised the aggressive action of Holden, an advocate for Middletown BioFuels, after the tour on Friday, May 7. Holden is seeking re-election to Congress this year.
“It is an understanding that as we build these facilities, we reduce our reliance on foreign oil, and the billions of dollars that go out of our country to far-away countries that may not necessarily agree with our set of values,” said Vilsack, noting plants like Middletown BioFuels create good-paying jobs and support the local economy.
Middletown BioFuels is one of more than 120 companies that recently received funding under the USDA’s Rural Development Bioenergy Program for Advanced Bioufuels, a program authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, known as the Farm Bill.
“When we did the 2008 farm bill, this is exactly what we had envisioned,” said Holden.
“These continuing payments significantly help advance the production of biofuels in Pennsylvania,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Tom Williams.
“Middletown BioFuels plant is a prime agricultural region in central Pennsylvania. Businesses such as this create jobs in addition to producing renewable energy,” Williams said.
Middletown BioFuel, owned by CQ Inc., based in Blairsville, is located at 532 E. Emaus Street. The company produces biodiesel that can be used in any application using petroleum diesel fuel with improved emissions performance for buses, trucks, mining equipment, home heating, power plants, bulldozers, and many more, according to their website at www.cq-inc.com
The company, which opened in 2007, receives a production tax credit of 10 cents per gallon produced from the federal government and 75 cents per gallon of biofuel produced from state sources, according to Glenn Shirey, general manager of Middletown BioFuels.
Debra Schell: 717-944-4628, or dschell@pressandjournal.com
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