First of its kind in Iowa, group will facilitate ongoing dialogue between Central Iowa communities and new cellulosic biofuel plant scheduled to begin production next year.

More than 30 Central Iowa residents including business leaders, farmers, conservationists and educators will participate in the inaugural meeting of the nation’s first Community Advisory Panel (CAP) related to a cellulosic biofuel facility on Tuesday, October 8, in Nevada, Iowa. 

Designed to provide an ongoing dialogue between DuPont and the surrounding community, the CAP will meet up to four times each year Dr. Mark Edelman, CAP Facilitator, has more than 32 years of experience as a professor of economics and extension specialist in agricultural policy analysis, community entrepreneurship, and economic development. Edelman also teaches an economic development course and serves as Community Vitality Center Director at Iowa State University. During this inaugural meeting, CAP members will discuss the panel’s goals and objectives, and a process for ongoing engagement with the new facility’s management team.

Members of the media are invited to attend this meeting, however limited space is available and therefore RSVPs are encouraged. More details are below.

Background on Community Advisory Panels

A CAP is a tool for manufacturing companies to learn the interests and concerns of nearby neighbors and community leaders. DuPont asked community leaders in Central Iowa to form this CAP because the company values the feedback from the public and unfiltered information from vested interests that the community can provide.

About DuPont’s Cellulosic Facility in Nevada, Iowa

Construction is currently underway in Nevada, IA. Once fully operational, the facility will produce 30 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year. Expected to be completed in the second half of 2014, this more than $200 million facility will be among the first and largest commercial-scale cellulosic biorefineries in the world.

To supply the corn stover for its plant, DuPont will contract with more than 500 local farmers to gather, store and deliver over 375,000 dry tons of stover per year into the Nevada facility.  In addition to the estimated 60 full-time plant operations jobs, there will be over 150 individuals involved in the collection, stacking, transportation and storage of the stover feedstock seasonally during each harvest.  The stover will be collected from an approximate 30 mile radius around the new facility and harvested off of 190,000 acres.

More information can be found "http://biofuels.dupont.com/cellulosic-ethanol/nevada-site-ce-facility

WHAT: Kick-off Meeting of the CAP Nevada Cellulosic Renewable Fuel Facility

WHEN: Tuesday, October 8, 2013, 6:30-8:30 PM

LOCATION:Nevada’s SCORE Pavilion 1543 Fawcett Parkway, Nevada, Iowa 50201

RSVP:

There is limited spaced available for members of the press. Interested participants are encouraged to RSVP to Doris DuPont at "mailto:doris.dupont@pioneer.com"