LBL biomass project benefits Lyon County High School and local economy
GOLDEN POND, KY – The USDA Forest Service, Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area, partnering with Lyon County officials, recently completed an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded project to build a biomass boiler system for Lyon County High School in Eddyville, KY. The construction company awarded the contract, hired multiple local sub-contractors to build the 
biomass boiler system.
The week of January 9th, the biomass boiler system passed the final state boiler inspection and began heating the entire high school. This ARRA Biomass Project provides a renewable alternative heating source utilizing wood chips, while helping the local economy.
“Adding a biomass boiler system to Lyon County High School’s existing heating system will reduce heating costs. The natural gas boiler will remain as a back-up heating system to the new biomass boiler. “In addition to partnering with Lyon County officials on this project, LBL will also provide wood chips from forest restoration and fuel reduction projects to use in the boiler system for five years. The construction phase of this project is coming to a close, but the demonstration and environmental education potential is just beginning. Lyon County High School students enrolled in the natural resource conservation class already toured the new facility and interacted with the engineers and foresters who have developed and installed this state-of-the-art biomass boiler system,” stated Jaime Hernandez, LBL’s Biomass Forester.
Over time, it is also expected the demonstration project will provide a local example to other nearby communities in western KY and TN for utilizing biomass boilers and renewable energy technology. The wood chips utilized in this project come from small diameter woody debris, such as limbs and tree tops, which normally would be considered non merchantable or low value.
Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Land Between The Lakes provides outdoor recreation and environmental education for the public to enjoy. Visitors are encouraged to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org often for the Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, and temporary trail and road closures. Follow news on Twitter @LBLScreechOwl and on their blog at http://landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/. Additional LBL information can be found on their website or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000.
Category: Kentucky, Land Between the Lakes, News
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Turner McCullough, Jr.
Retired US Army, disabled veteran, interests include -photography, jazz, beachfront ocean exposures, sharing good foods with friends, wine tasting, political advocacy, people watching, theatre, arts, works of Wm Shakespeare/James Patterson/Maya Angelo/Alice Walker/Brian Lumley, Cornel West, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Pres. Lyndon B.Johnson, movies, books, writing, parliamentary procedure.
