If you’ve ever wondered about the true motivation of the activists who relentlessly attack our family farmers, here is a clear indication: their puzzling opposition to generating clean, renewable energy from North Carolina hog farms.
Smithfield Foods and Dominion Energy have pledged to invest $500 million to capture methane from hog farms and convert it into renewable natural gas through a partnership known as Align Renewable Natural Gas. The project’s initial efforts involve hundreds of farms in three states — many of them located in Duplin and Sampson counties.
It’s a solution that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create clean renewable energy, and further reduce threats from flooding by using covered lagoons and digesters to capture methane gas.
Image from Align RNG
Yet, the Waterkeepers and others refuse to support the project. Check that — it’s not simply that they don’t support the project, they are actively trying to kill it.
And that shows their true intentions.
These groups won’t support any innovations that help our farmers and make our industry more sustainable — no matter how much they will help the environment. They simply want to put hog farmers out of business.
What other logical reason is there for opposing a project that will establish eastern North Carolina as a leader in renewable energy, creating new jobs and attracting new investment in our rural communities?
In a recent blog post from the Waterkeeper Alliance, Pamlico Tar Riverkeeper Jill Howell argues in vain that capturing biogas won’t help our environment.
Huh?
It’s clear that the very notion of saying something — anything! — even halfway positive about the innovative steps being taken by our industry to help the environment is simply impossible for these activists. That’s all you need to know.
If you would like to show your support for the Align Energy project, you can submit comments on their proposed air quality permit to DAQ.publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Use subject line: Align Energy. The deadline for comments is Friday, November 20.