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October 31, 2005
First Biodiesel Plant in Arkansas Opens
I saw the headline and I just knew I had to write about it before I read the article. Then I read the article and it's actually in the town that I was born in!!! Now I really have to write about it. Eastman Chemicals has evidently started producing 3 million gallons of biodiesel a year without anyone knowing about it. There are two major crops in Arkansas back as far as I can remember, soybeans and rice. Soybeans are a great way to make biodiesel so it's a natural fit. Also this will allow farmers to actually start running biodiesel in their own equipment, which of course does the standard thing of decreasing pollution and improving engine life. I also found it interesting that Eastman is going to be able to double production by the end of the year. I'm beginning to wonder what the hold up was on getting this plant on-line in the first place. Well hopefully we will see state standards following to move Arkansas to at least B2 or B5 in the next year or so. And maybe B20 by the end of the decade. But unfortunately Arkansas is a red headed blue state much like Maryland. Translation, because of some fluke or bad luck the state has come under the corruptive and incompetent management of a Republican and therefore has little chance of doing anything productive or useful. Fortunately the Democrats do hold a super majority in the legislature so it might be possible to work around the Republican governor and his radical anti-America Republican campaign contributors. We shall see I guess. All I can say is good work Arkansas!! Now I know you grow freaking corn too so where's the Ethanol production and requirements?? The only way this country is going to get fixed is for everyone to work around the America hating Republicans and moving us towards energy independence!
Read more over at Green Car Congress.
Posted by ManDrake at October 31, 2005 6:16 AM
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Comments
Close to home my brother. Out AR-69 going to Sulpher Rock on the way to Newport.
Posted by: Royal at October 31, 2005 10:21 AM
I'm more impressed with the 6 million gallons of Biodiesel a year, that is pretty freaking good. They could get to B20 pretty fast with those numbers in Arkansas.
Posted by: ManDrake at October 31, 2005 10:44 AM
It will help the local economy a lot. Eastman has been shutting down lines for years as film processing stopped using chemicals. Also fermentation should not be a new skill in that part of the nation.
Posted by: Royal at October 31, 2005 12:32 PM
We shall see that's for sure. It would be nice to see some new green industry in that region. Arkansas has always lagged, like much of the South in moving forward. This could definitely help them along.
Posted by: ManDrake at October 31, 2005 12:43 PM