L to R: Jules Chateau (Architect from Banwell Ind.), Maintenance Superintendent Jim Oakes, Representative Lyle Bulis, Executive Director Julie Clough, Commissioner Mike Cryans, Former Commissioner Martha Richards, Commissioner Ray Burton, Commissioner Omer C. Ahern Jr. and Chuck Henderson from Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s Office grabbed a shovel of dirt to commemorate the ground breaking event for the new biomass project.
On October 16th the Grafton Commissioners, along with a number of key people integral to the culmination of the biomass project, joined together in the chilly wet morning to raise their shovels of dirt in triumph of the ground breaking for the new biomass boiler for the County. This project has taken four years and much hard work to bring to fruition.
The biomass is a $2.7 million dollar project. The County received $378,500 from the department of energy which leaves the County a balance of $2.3 million which is being funded by monies that were left over from the jail project. Coupled with the fact that the County will be reducing it’s need for oil by approximately 90,000 gallons and will see a cost savings the first year it is online, is a win win for the taxpayers of Grafton County.
Special thanks are given to Martha Richards who was chairman of the Alternative Energy Committee who helped bring this all together. She along with her committee, the Commissioners and the Grafton County Delegation who voted unanimously to approve this project, have paved the way for a more economical fuel solution for the County.
Commissioner Ray Burton offers some opening remarks while Commissioner Ahern,
Delegation Chairman Lyle Bulis, Martha Richards, Commissioner Cryans and Chuck Henderson look on.
Martha Richards gives thanks to all those who made this project possible and stated that the project will supply jobs to those in the local forest and wood industries