Profit-sharing agreement signed for biomass plant

National Clean Fuels announced today that the company signed a profit participation agreement with the Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy (The Center). The two organizations are working together closely to build a biomass-to-electricity (BTE) plant in Port Gibson, Miss.

According to the agreement, National Clean Fuels will provide the Center with monthly project support payments in exchange for a percentage of the net profits generated by the Port Gibson BTE plant once it becomes operational. The Center and National Clean Fuels signed a term sheet earlier this month.

Plans call for the new Port Gibson BTE plant to generate electricity by gasifying sawdust and woodchips to power a massive turbine. NACF inked a letter of intent with the City of Port Gibson in September to devise plans for biomass and solar-energy production in and around the municipality as well as other potential means of green energy production. The Center will assist with the planning and implementation of the project.


MBJ

S510 now being considered in Senate could radically change small farms and food markets

CHARLIE MITCHELL: Voters haven’t ‘changed their minds’ about anything

Mitchell

Middle America wants better performance by the federal government and Middle America has given the Republican Party center stage.

Three Mississippians – returning U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper of District 3 along with newly elected Rep. Alan Nunnelee of District 1 and Rep. Steven Palazzo of District 4 – are in the thick of it.

There’s been a shallow but consistent media chorus since midterm elections. The story line has been, “Why did Americans turn against Obama?” and “Why did voters change their minds?”

Bogus questions, both of them. Voters didn’t turn against Obama. And voters certainly have not changed their minds.

Let’s define Middle America as the voters who swing elections. They dwell between the extremes of liberalism and conservatism. Two years ago, Middle America embraced Barack Obama’s rising star and accepted his pledge to be a president for all the people – one who would focus on the economy and bring federal spending under control. (He really did make those pledges.) Middle America also responded to his promise to bring rationality, equity and cost controls to the delivery of health care and to resolve immigration issues, among many other things. Yes, Obama was a “liberal,” but he was solution-oriented. That resonated.

Obama’s rival for the White House, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called his opponent “naïve,” but Americans not only backed the far more charismatic candidate, they also provided President Obama with clear Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress. Media folk called this a big victory for liberalism. Wrong. It was a big endorsement of problem-solving.

In the two years since, Middle America has not undergone a giant shift in its collective ideology. Only the most simplistic talk show hosts would suggest that has happened. Lefties are still lefties. Righties are still righties. What Middle America wants is solutions.

So what that means is that Republicans – even without control of the White House or the Senate – must either deliver in the next two years or it will be their turn to decide who gets invited to farewell parties.

Within the party itself, there are divisions.

Harper, Nunnelee and Palazzo have aligned with the super-conservative core of the GOP.

Harper, from Pearl, went to Washington at the same time Obama did. Regarding the $787 billion stimulus bill, Harper had a great quote. When trying to get out of a hole, a good first step is to stop digging, he said in voting “no.” He was re-elected to a second term to deliver the same “stop spending” message. (Interestingly, Harper has been chastised for voting against new spending that would have benefitted Mississippi. Nothing like knocking a guy for doing what he said he’d do.)

Nunnelee, from Tupelo, managed Mississippi’s money as chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the state Senate. Although he and Palazzo don’t take office until January, Nunnelee is on the record with other incoming House Republicans to stop earmarks immediately. (For the record, Obama also pledged to review earmarks “line by line,” yet has signed off on hundreds.)

The way to make the people happy is to fix what’s broken and fixing what’s broken means crafting legislation that (1) Middle America understands and (2) in which Middle America has confidence.

It’s easier said than done, of course.

But folks need to stop saying voters changed. It’s just not true.

NEMS360

Steering panel loaded with John Boehner's allies

House Speaker-designate John Boehner has some close allies to help him potentially sway other members on a Republican panel set to pick leaders of key committees in the next Congress.

Several lawmakers close to the Ohio Republican reside on the 34-member House Republican steering committee – including Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.), who gave a speech backing Boehner to be House speaker, according to a list of steering committee members obtained by POLITICO.

Rep. Steve LaTourette is a fellow member of the Ohio delegation, while Reps. Doc Hastings (Wash.) and Tom Latham (Iowa) have long been close personal friends with Boehner as well.

Others well known to be close to Boehner on the Steering Committee include House Republican Conference Vice-Chair Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (Wash.), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas), House GOP transition team leader Greg Walden (Ore.), Mike Rogers (Mich.), and Gregg Harper (Miss.).

Boehner’s choice in contested races to head the Energy and Commerce, Appropriations and other panels is automatically worth four votes, the most of any other committee member. The next expected House majority leader, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) gets two votes, while all other members get one vote each when considering each committee race, jurisdictional challenges and potential caucus rule changes.

Shimkus, Energy and Commerce ranking member Joe Barton (Texas), Fred Upton (Mich.) and Cliff Stearns (Fla.) will give roughly 10-minute presentations to the steering committee Tuesday to give their arguments to head the energy panel, followed by a question and answer period. The steering committee will convene at 1:30 p.m. in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.

Read more: Politico