$24m authorised for Jackson County port’s wood pellet export facility

Supervisors at the Port of Pascagoula in Jackson County, Mississippi, have authorised the borrowing of up to $24 million (€17 million) for the construction of a specialised wood pellet exporting facility on Bayou Casotte.

The facility is expected to cost around $30 million, with $15 million coming from port bonds. The state has reportedly put up $10 million, and the terminal operator will invest $5 million.

Florida-based company Green Circle Bio Energy will use the site to export up to 500,000 tonnes of pellets per year to European utility companies, it has been reported.

An additional $14 million from the US Department of Transportation will also work in conjunction with the project for intermodal improvements like the relocating of a railroad interchange near the site. The money is being given by the department's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant programme.

The $24 million authorisation provides the project with a 'cushion' should additional modifications be required.

Though the engineering design is reportedly not yet complete, construction of the wood pellet facility is due to begin in early 2015.