Geo 325 Land Use and Environmental Planning
Service Learning Project, Spring 2010
Goals and Objectives
 Methods
 Background Information
 Policy
 Stakeholders
- business
- government
 Wildlife
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Purpose statement
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Transportation/harvest/storage
ANDERSON
BATH
BOURBON
BOYLE
BRACKEN
BREATHITT
CASEY
CLARK
CLAY
ELLIOTT
ESTILL
FAYETTE
FLEMING
FRANKLIN
GARRARD
GRANT
HARRISON
HENRY
JACKSON
JESSAMINE
LAUREL
LEE
LEWIS
LINCOLN
MADISON
MASON
MENIFEE
MERCER
MONTGOMERY
MORGAN
NICHOLAS
OWEN
OWSLEY
PENDLETON
POWELL
PULASKI
ROBERTSON
ROCKCASTLE
ROWAN
SCOTT
SHELBY
WASHINGTON
WOLFE
WOODFORD
Target Counties Within 50 mi. Radius of
Winchester
EPA Policy Act of 2005
Changed U.S. energy policy by providing tax
incentives and loan guarantees for alternative
energy production
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
Created a more aggressive Renewable
Fuel
Standard
•Federal Legislation
•
25x25 in Kentucky: renewable energy initiative backed by businesses,
organizations and individuals united by a common interest in making
America’s energy future more secure, affordable and environmentally
sustainable.
• Includes: 2008 Farm Bill
• Positives?
•Incentives for farmers to produce/convert crops into biomass.
•Negatives?
•Current farmland is used for cattle production. Is switchgrass
economically feasible?
•
Recovery Act of 2009: an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our
economy, create
or save millions of jobs, and focus on addressing longneglected challenges so our country can thrive in the twenty-first century.
•Positives?
•Potential for a ‘green, clean’ environment, less dependence on
foreign nations for our livelihood.
•Potential holes?
•Current research suggests only 30-40 jobs will be created
through a switchgrass plant. “Millions” might be a stretch…
•Policy Analysis
•Trends in Past Legislation
•Enacted or failed Legislation
•Is it a compelling need?
•Sponsorship of Legislation
•Effective Counties in a 50 mile radius
•TDR Law in Clark County
•Urban Service Boundary in Fayette County
•Who can we get to sponsor this bill?
•Strategic Alignment
•Does policy align with cultural/wants needs of Kentucky/counties?
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Agriculture
◦ Farmers
◦ Wildlife Conservation
◦ Soil Conservation
◦ Landowners
Fuels Market
◦ Stock Holders
◦ Fuel Producers
◦ Gas Companies
◦ Owners
◦ Other Bio-fuel Producers
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Other
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Trucking
Public Transportation
Contractors
Developers
Coal Industry
Feed Producers
Vehicle Inspection /
Repair
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Local
◦ County Officials
◦ County Extension
◦ Planning
 Zoning
 Commissions
◦ Economic Development
◦ Transportation Cabinet
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State / Federal
Agencies
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State Parks
Transportation
Energy
EPA
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Counties: 44 Counties
Including:
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Madison
Fayette
Clark
Rockcastle
Woodford
Garrard
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATIONS by %
-Total= 81,103
-Households= 31,089
-Household Income=
$37,732
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= .76%
-Sales & Office=
26.91%
-Production,
Transportation,
Material Moving=
17.20%
*Unemployment
rate=9.00%
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATIONS by %
-Total= 13,811
-Households= 5,387
-Household Income=
$30,169
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= .64 %
-Sales & Office=
20.64%
-Production,
Transportation,
Material Moving=
33.58%
*Unemployment rate=
16.20%
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATION by %
-Total= 35,550
-Households= 14,104
-Household Income=
$44,855
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= .86%
-Sales & Office=
24.95%
-Production,
Transportation, &
Material Moving=
20.39%
*Unemployment rate=
10.50%
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATION by %
-Total= 25,228
-Households= 10,000
-Household Income=
$36,569
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= .73%
-Sales & Office=
25.49%
-Production,
Transportation,
Material Moving=
25.38%
*Unemployment rate=
13.10%
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATION by %
-Total= 19,756
-Households= 7,995
-Household Income=
$40,196
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= 3.73%
-Sales & Office=
22.58%
-Production,
Transportation, &
Material Moving=
22.40%
*Unemployment rate=
9.60%
POPULTION STATS
OCCUPATION by %
-Total= 279,044
-Households= 114,079
-Household Income=
$45,873
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= .94%
-Sales & Office=
26.07%
-Production,
Transportation, &
Material Moving=
11.07%
*Unemployment rate=
7.40%
POPULATION STATS
OCCUPATION by %
-Total= 14,975
-Households= 6,212
-Household Income=
$26,922
-Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry= 1.16%
-Sales & Office=
19.43%
-Production,
Transportation, &
Material Moving=
30.53%
*Unemployment rate=
13.50%
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Urban Growth
Population Growth
Labor Forces
Recreation
Non-Profits
Residents
Landowners
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Healthcare Services
◦ Emergency Services
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Environmental
◦ Environmental Lobbyist
◦ Environmental Groups
 Kentuckians for the
Commonwealth
 Sierra Club
 Watershed Watch
◦ Pollution
 Air
 Water
 Land
◦ H20
◦ Weather Hazards
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Determine likely environmental harms
Determine ways to harvest the land to benefit the
wildlife.
Determine ways to produce bio fuels without harming
land/water/air quality.
Determine the effects that would occur with the change
from corn, or agricultural animals to the production of
switch grass
Take into affect, the endangered animals that surround
the farmland that could be effected by the production of
switch grass
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SOIL/ NUTRIENTS
Switch grass provides all of the necessary requirements
for the quail to survive with benefits such as nesting,
shelter, roosting, summer and winter cover, cover from
birds of prey, and food.
Switch grass contains nutrients that enhance soil.
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MAMMAL HABITAT
Some animals that would be effected from the
production of switch grass would be widely distributed.
Animals such as small mammals, and many varieties of
song birds, and game birds.
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BIRD HABITAT
Provides important habitat for a variety of birds (ground
dwelling birds), such as Bobwhite Quail
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HARVEST SEASON
According to Iowa State Universities Department of
Agronomy, Single harvest of switch grass that taken
four to six weeks or more after its above-ground growth,
is killed by frost, and removes less nutrients and reduces
fertility needs.
Determine the best times during the season to harvest
the switch grass so it does not interfere with the mating
times for the birds that inhabit the land.
Determine the migratory patterns, with relation to switch
grass harvest.
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Determine waterways, creeks, and rivers that would be effected
Determine the impact on different species that inhabit the local water ways, such as freshwater
mussels as: Cumberland Elktoe, Fanshell, Oyster mussel, and Clubshell.
As animals graze forages, they alter the vegetative cover and soil physical properties of
pastureland. These alterations may decrease infiltration
of water through the soil which, in turn, increases the amount of surface runoff.
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The figure on slide 3 of this presentation was attributed by the Chariton Valley Biomass Project,
under farm-related local environmental benefits.
http://www.iowaswitchgrass.com/benefits~onfarmbenefits.html
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The figure found on slide 4 was found on the “Highlights of Agricultural Research; (Runoff,
Erosion, And Water Quality Detriment Evaluated In Grazing Studies.
www.ag.auburn.edu/.../fall97/runoff.htm