HomeMy WebLinkAbout7. Jonathan Korta LOSSeptember 9, 2012
Mr. Shawn Calfa
Grant Administrator
Alaska Energy Authority
8 13 W. Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK 9 9 50 3
Dear Mr. Calfa,
P.O. Box 3 55
G a le n a , A K 9 9 7 4 1
(907) 656-1981
korta@m ac.com
My name is Jonathan Korta and I am writing to support Galena's grant
application for a biomass project in our community. As a community,
member, small business owner and city council member, I have been
involved with this project for the past couple of years and strongly be-
lieve that it can be the answer to help stabilize our energy costs and
allow our community to grow and prosper for years to come.
Although we would all like to see the day where we can sustainably
harvest biomass to meet our community's electrical load, it makes
sense to start with a smaller, heat only project that would support our
community's largest economic engine -the Galena City School District.
Without a consistent, stable and affordable source of energy, innova-
tive programs such as the Galena Interior Learning Academy cannot ex-
ist. GJLA is the backbone of our community economically, providing a
high number of quality jobs as well as an outstanding educational op-
portunity for hundreds of students throughout rural Alaska.
--------------------------------------------------------
A biomass project makes sense in so many ways -in terms ofjobs,
sustainability, and economics. Feasibility studies have shown that we
can create a stable energy source with local labor using local resources
that are renewable, to offset fuel that is imported using non-local la-
bor, is non-renewable, and is extremely price volatile. I believe this pro-
ject would make sense even if the cost of producing biomass energy
were MORE than using diesel.
In addition to the economic benefits, the project has environmental
and ecological benefits as we 11. A biomass project in our community
would lead to healthier forests, improved wildlife habitat, improved
subsistence opportunities for locals, and create much needed fire-
breaks to protect from the ever present danger of wildfire.
Without a consistent, stable, and affordable energy supply, I believe
that living and working in rural Alaskan communities will no longer be
practical for many of us. A biomass project can be the answer to help
ensure that our commu-nity can enjoy a prosperous future for many
years to come. I wholeheartedly support our community's biomass pro-
ject and strongly believe it is the first, most important step, in reduc-
ing our reliance on outside energy.
sf.· cerely, _l,
~""'~
Jo athan Korta