US president biofuels speech before ethanol workers at Macon facility
The US president Barak Obama visited POET Biorefining ethanol facility, located in the east of Macon. The first part of president visit program was private tour to POET facility, which has recently announced about their plans to increase the cellulosic ethanol gallons manufacturing up to 3.5 billion by the year of 2022. According to Jeff Broin, the POET CEO, the president discussed ethanol manufacturing and the potential of cellulosic ethanol, the raw material which can be manufactured from various materials, such as corn cobs and paper. The POET CEO enquired president about policy aspects and president has expressed a complete approval by thus impressing Jeff Broin.
Steve Burnett, the Macon plant general manager, pointed out Obama to be very personal as for his position, to be the easy going and smart person and said that the President expressed the wish to take pictures with workers after the speech.
The plant workers saw the first sign of important guest coming - the Secret Service man who had been standing still in the back office with the odor of dirt and grain near front truck, filled with corn. Another sign was a tribune with the Seal of US president, which stood near 18-wheeler.
Nearly 100 people came to this meeting and as soon their noise vanished the only thing which broke the silence was the birds twitter in the beams. Then the speaker announced the honored guest arrival
During his speech the president mentioned about the future of biofuels industry and overall state of country's economy which, according to his words, regained the state of growth. At the same time he mentioned that not every felt the signs of economy growth and set POET facility as the example of success story, which proved that the progress is possible to be attained.
Talking about the progress, President mentioned that biofuels industry is the step which would lead American economy to bigger progress. President emphasized that it is the right time for the country to move from words to actions in the matter of country dependence on foreign oil supplies.
President has expressed his dissatisfaction that such countries like China and Spain have left US behind in the domain of biofuels manufacturing and got independent from oil import from other countries and mentioned that the energy security plan is his administration top priority from the moment of his appointment as a President.
Barak Obama announced that his administration adopted the resolution to make the investment in the alternative energy domain which will keep or create 700,000 approximately till 2012. Such investment is the largest in the US history and president has expressed the hope to triple American biofuels manufacturing within following 12 years.
As soon as the applauses of the audience ended he specified the country needs to understand this goal and POET facility would be the first example of this goal bringing into life. President has also said that he believes in facility potential and mentioned that its' development will prompt both alternative energy and agriculture economy future. President confirmed state government will to collaborate with POET for such goal implementation.
After his speech the president shook hands with POET personnel some of whom wore hard hat and others had been in suits.
The president speech visitors have expressed their opinion as well. Tommy Teter, the farmer from west Macon seemed to be very glad to hear the news about ethanol from outside as he thinks that lot of people need to know more about it and told that he has got the ticket to this meeting because he had been bringing corn into bulldozer and had been allowed to stay.
Another guest of the meeting Linda Bennington Nolan, the resident of first Missourian city where wind turbines energy is used mentioned that she had been amazed with the work Obama has done in health care sector and supports his beginnings in the energy domain. The meeting excited her in a manner that she went to bed wearing Obama delegate badge.
Macon Mayor Dale Bagley, Gov. Jay Nixon, Missouri Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan, Attorney General Chris Koster, Missouri Department of Agriculture Director John Hagler and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack had been attracted by Obama visit as well.
