The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week announced the award of a grant to the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to support an innovative mine reclamation project that will use excess manure to reclaim an abandoned strip mine and grow switchgrass that will be used as a renewable fuel.

Mark Rey, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USDA, made the announcement in Harrisburg and talked about creating a win-win-win for the environment and agriculture and the status of efforts to increase funding for the conservation provisions in the 2007 federal Farm Bill.

Scott Van de Mark, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, talks about the project which will use 1,600 tons of poultry manure on a 30 acre test plot on an abandoned mine to provide a field test for in-situ composting of manure.

He noted the project will potentially provide three kinds of marketable credits—nutrient credits for the use of excess poultry manure, renewable energy credits for the switchgrass and credits for carbon sequestration to offset greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Environmental Council visit the PEC website.

Video Blog: Mark Rey, USDA Secretary for Natural Resources & Environment

Video Blog: Scott Van de Mark, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

6/22/2007