July 13, 2011

Do biofuel initiatives account for soil and water conservation?

Biofuels are the topic of the Town Hall meeting at the annual SWCS conference next week. If you will not be in D.C., please share your thoughts on the question below by commenting here or talking to Dennis Fuchs.

Dennis will represent the Minnesota SWCS at the House of Delegates meeting, July 17th, at the annual SWCS meeting in Washington D.C. Following the House of Delegates meeting, all conference attendees are invited to the State of the Society Town Hall meeting to share their views with the SWCS Board of Directors on the following topic:

The United States has committed to an energy policy that includes an aggressive expansion of biofuel production. There are many biofuel feedstock options under consideration; crop residue, perennial grasses, wood byproducts, algae and others. In September, 2010, the SWCS hosted a workshop to develop regional roadmaps for sustainable advanced biofuel feedstock production. In your region, are the initiatives to develop and utilize biofuel feedstock demonstrating appropriate concern for soil conservation, water quality, and soil quality implications?

What do you think? Comment below.

2 comments:

Thomas S. said...

My concern with the expanding use of biofuels, especially the "feedstock" approach is the similarity to the old slash and burn agriculture practiced in early USA and in other places yet today. The losses to soil organic matter cannot be replaced so easily. The increased likelihood of soil erosion due to poorer soil tilth should also be considered.

Tankstar Rainwater Storage Solutions said...

I think so, if there is biofuel. Less money in buying fuel. then it gives more energy to work for water systems.

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