T’Naus Nieto
The Chronicle-News
On Sept. 9, Linda-Rose Myers, president of EcoTech Biofuels, informed The Chronicle-News that the company would no longer be able to bring its industrial site to Trinidad because BNSF is unable to offer rail services to the city. However, rail service isn’t an issue in Walsenburg.
Myers told The Chronicle-News, “Walsenburg is ready, willing, and able to accommodate us, and the rail service is not a problem there… I am deeply sorry about this disappointment for Trinidad, but I’ve pledged to work with local residents to find ways to do business with us in Walsenburg. It’s only 35 minutes away by car.”
As previously reported, EcoTech’s goal with the industrial site is to extract dry-standing dead and diseased trees from Colorado’s forests, which they claim would reduce fire risk and help regrow forested areas. They will then use the biomass to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel, which, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, could lower carbon intensity. Essentially, the objective is to use the forests’ biomass and transform it into jet fuel, supporting forest regrowth and lowering aviation carbon emissions.
The industrial site is also purported to provide a yearly increase of $9.4 million in labor earnings, an increase in the labor market of at least 650 workers, and a $463,000 annual increase in local tax production.
According to Myers, BNSF would have found it costly and difficult to provide services to get the Rio Grande Forest materials to the Trinidad location.
Myers said, referring to the information she received, “The shortline does not connect with the BNSF. The only way BNSF could deliver rail cars from the shortline would be for those rail cars to switch to Union Pacific at Walsenburg, then go on to Pueblo via Union Pacific, and then be transferred [from] Pueblo to BNSF. Then, they would be brought back down to Trinidad. This would be extremely costly. In any case, the BNSF is unwilling to commit to providing that service.”
“The shortline ends at Walsenburg… This would result in significant transportation cost savings to the plant, [especially] for materials coming from the Rio Grande NF. Walsenburg is only 35 minutes from Trinidad. This is much better than a plant site in Pueblo. This is the best available compromise for Trinidad. We will look for opportunities for Trinidad businesses to work with us. We will do everything possible to hire Trinidad locals who want a good job with benefits. And it does appear Walsenburg can now meet our infrastructure requirements, including water.”
