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Show 1.4 Effect of Expanded Use of Wood as an Alternate Energy Source on the Economy of Rural Areas The potential for economic development, especially in rural communities where wood can be utilized for energy fuel, is significant and substantial. Sale of heretofore unmarketable waste wood provides revenue to the forest landowner who will hire labor and make other expenditures to reforest. Wood harvest is labor intensive and will create many new jobs. Local industry and government will buy and use the wood at considerably less cost than fossil fuels. This will reduce taxes for government and permit industry to invest savings realized in expansion, thus creating still more jobs. Bank deposits will increase, schools and hospitals will expand and improve and community services will be increased. New money in the community is measured by the tons of fuels harvested and sold. For example, if one million tons of waste wood at $9.50 per ton is substituted for fossil fuel then $9.5 million of new money is realized. Circulated in the community this new money will multiply by at least ten times. State and local government stand to gain equally, and in some instances more than industry. For example, the boiler plant system at the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee is ideal for switching to forest biomass for fuel. The plant is located in a rural area typic*] of forested areas in Florida where there is an abundance of biomass. If converted, this system would consume approximately 220,000 tons of biomass on a green-weight basis generating over $2 million annually. Moreover, costs to taxpayers for fuels would be reduced by approximately $4,000 per day and expenditures for fuels will be kept at home. Other state and local institutions along with industries will find it beneficial to look at forest biomass 26-7 |
