Doyle Pushes Energy Plan: He Seeks Paper Industry’s Support for Incentives

By Joel Dresang, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jun. 1–NEENAH — Expressing urgency in expanding energy alternatives, Gov. Jim Doyle lobbied the state paper industry Thursday to support his $30 million proposal aimed at making Wisconsin a leader in renewable fuels.

With “gas prices that are through the roof” and Wisconsin’s abundance of farm crops, forest products and research capabilities, the state must act swiftly to develop home-grown alternatives to petroleum, Doyle told about 100 executives gathered for the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Paper Council.

“If, as a country, we don’t use this moment to make a fundamental change in our energy policy, it will be an opportunity that will be lost to us for generations and generations to come,” Doyle said.

“And similarly, if the state of Wisconsin does not make this investment, you ought to know that Minnesota and Iowa and states throughout the country are making this investment,” he said.

In his two-year budget, Doyle proposed $30 million in grants and loans for developing renewable energy technologies, including $5 million to help Wisconsin become the first state to have a plant making ethanol from the cellulose found in such materials as paper pulp and wood chips.

“I’m here not to convert you to this, because as I look around the room I see a lot of good friends who have helped educate me on these issues,” Doyle said. “But I need your help because the Legislature is considering this now as the budget moves forward.”

In fact, the Joint Finance Committee voted against the $30 million plan, but Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) said generally lawmakers support the idea of funding bio-fuel development.

“I believe most people understand the importance of coming up with alternatives to our energy needs,” said Petrowski, who received a “Champion of the Paper Industry” award from the council Thursday along with Sen. Roger Breske (D-Eland).

Details still undecided

Petrowski said he would expect the Legislature to allow some money for pursuing renewable energy sources, but how much and where the funds come from are up in the air.

“We’re a long way away from getting a final budget,” Petrowski said.

Likewise, the Wisconsin Paper Council — representing 21 companies that are big energy consumers — favors alternative energy development. But Edward Wilusz, the association’s vice president of government affairs, said papermakers oppose Doyle’s plan to pay for the projects through higher fees on waste disposal.

“We like the idea. It’s a great idea,” Wilusz said. “We’d like to make it work.”

Doyle appeared at the meeting Thursday to present an award on energy efficiency to Flambeau River Papers, in Park Falls, which followed employees’ suggestions for recapturing some heat and water lost from mill operations.

The $190,000 project is expected to save more than $2 million a year in natural gas costs, increase pulp production by 12 tons a year, and reduce the mill’s demands on the Flambeau River by up to 1,500 gallons a minute.

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