Baard delayed further-another failed Charlie Wilson campaign promise

[sfc_oliver]

WOW, Dennis has solved the riddle as to who or what caused the recession, It was all Charlie Wilsons fault.

Please Dennis, It's really old.

[Towntalk]

Oh for the days of Congressmen like Mike Kerwin.

Ask his staff a question and they were ready to answer it in terms you could understand.

Have a problem? Again Mike's staff went to bat for you and did followups to make absolutely sure you got the help you needed.

Those were great days for the district.

[irishbobcat]

Charlie Wilson Campaign site: 2008:

I championed the construction of the nation's premier coal-to-liquid facility, which will create thousands of new jobs and help ease America's dependence on foreign oil.

When Charlie? Oh, I'm sure you'll mention their getting their ducks in a row when you run for re-election in 2010~~~~~~~~~~

[Why?Town]

I just read this article and didn't see any reference to Mr. Wilson.

Could someone please spell out Charlie's failure regarding this project for those of us that may not be following as closely as we should.

[irishbobcat]

Baard delayed further
By TOM GIAMBRONI POSTED: October 20, 2009 Save | Print | Email | Read comments | Post a comment
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EAST LIVERPOOL - The Baard Energy project, already more than a year behind its original schedule, needs more time to get the financing in place.

That's why the Columbiana County Port Authority intends to extend the option agreements it has to purchase 522 acres outside Wellsville for the Baard project.

Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Tracy Drake, speaking at Monday's board meeting, said Baard has asked them to extend the purchase options due to expire Dec. 31 by another six months, until June 30, 2010.

Drake said most of the 16 options expire at the end of the year, while the rest expire September 2010. This would be the second time the purchase options will be extended.

Baard Vice President Steve Dopuch, speaking at the meeting, said they need the additional time to come up with a financial package to pay for the $6 billion coal-to-liquid fuel conversion plant. He is confident they will be able put such a package together.

"There is great investment interest in this project. The markets are loosening up," Dopuch said.

When the project was announced in 2006, construction was expected to begin by mid-2008 and the plant to be producing fuel by the middle of 2011. But the permitting process took longer than anticipated, followed by the recession that began in 2008, which brought financial markets almost to a standstill.

At the port authority's July meeting, Dopuch reported there were signs that nervous investors were again ready to resume shopping for projects to invest in and the Baard project was drawing interest. At that time he expected the financing to be in place so site preparation would begin before the end of the year.

Dopuch said yesterday that it is taking longer to accomplish because the credit market has been slow to thaw, and they are dealing with more than a dozen potential investors, which is why they are asking the port authority for the extension on the land purchase. Baard is making the option payments itself.

He said if everything works out, site preparation could begin by spring, with the plant becoming operational in early 2013 and producing fuel on a limited basis by mid-year.

"I just want people to know we're hard at it and things are progressing," Dopuch said.

Baard had applied to the U.S. Department of Energy for a $2.5 billion loan but withdrew its application in March after two environmental activist groups appealed the state and federal permits issued for the project. The federal loan could not be released while these appeals are pending.

Dopuch indicated that Baard is turning its primary attention away from generating synthetic jet and diesel vehicle fuel for the U.S. military to private commercial customers. He said the military works on one- or two-year contracts, and they need the stability five-to-10-year contracts would bring to attract investors.

"The military is unable to step up to make the financial commitment this project needs," Dopuch said.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com

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Irishbobcat
10-20-09 8:14 AM
»Report Abuse BAARD LIED! CHARLIE WILSON LIED!
THERE ARE NO JOBS COMING! THERE IS NO PLANT COMING! JUST AN EMPTY CAMPAIGN PROMISE!!!!!

CHARLIE WILSON SHOULD NOT BE RE-ELECTED IN 2010!

CHARLIE WILSON SOLD COLUMBIANA COUNTY A PIG IN A POKE TO GET RE-ELECTED!!!!!!!