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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Environment. - Yet more on: BioTown, USA. Remember little Reynolds, Indiana? Population 500

The ILB has had a number of entries on "BioTown", going back to this one from Sept. 13, 2005, headed "Daniels hopes to transform town of Reynolds so it's powered only by renewable power sources."

Today Tom Murphy of the AP reports, in a lengthy story that begins:

REYNOLDS, Ind. -- This one-stoplight farming hamlet had big dreams in 2005 when it was christened BioTown USA.

Its goal: to become the first U.S. community to meet all electricity and gas needs through renewable energy by using everything from farm waste to sewage.
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Industry and government officials led the early charge. BP installed a gas pump offering an ethanol fuel blend, and South Dakota-based VeraSun Energy Corp. started building an ethanol production plant near town.

Former U.S. agriculture secretary Mike Johanns stopped by in support, as did the band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Visitors also included a group of Chilean corn farmers who were touring the Midwest and interested in learning more about biofuels.

But the visitors are long gone, and many say the excitement is too. Money problems, leadership changes and other obstacles have sparked skepticism that Reynolds will ever succeed at moving the state, much less the nation, toward homegrown energy and away from foreign oil.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 25, 2008 10:25 AM
Posted to Environment