WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Pellet Plant Sparks Job Creation

Pellet Plant Sparks Job Creation

Clarendon, Vermont - September 29, 2009

"This is an exciting time for this region," said Gov. Jim Douglas, R-Vermont.

It's a rare ceremony in this economy; celebrating a new company-- the first wood pellet manufacturing plant in Vermont.

The Vermont Wood Pellet Company turns wood into pressed pellets for fuel. The company can turn out 10,000 tons a year; enough to heat more than 3,300 Vermont homes.

The company chose Vermont over other states because Central Vermont Public Service offered a low energy price for the first few years. And Clarendon won out over other towns because of the close proximity to wood and a good logging infrastructure. The town also had an old mill that was a perfect space.

"From the town's point of view tax dollars-- tax revenue that helps us support the schools-- and a lot of people who work here live in town, too," explained Mike Klopchin of the Clarendon select board.

The plant employs 15 people-- jobs the area needs. Rutland County now has the state's highest unemployment rate.

Rod Batchelder was laid off from a wood mill and looking for work for a year before he heard about this job.

"All the mills closing and I'd been in it all my life and didn't expect to find another job maybe in my lifetime in this region and I didn't want to move because I own a home-- so it was a pleasant surprise," Batchelder said.

And it's not just the 15 direct jobs at the mill. Company officials estimate for every one employee that impacts at least another four people in the community; for example with people who then need to log and deliver the wood.

"Really where the job growth becomes important is feeding the mill; the number of loggers feeding the mill, the number of individuals who are trucking the material, the number of foresters who benefit. That's really where the growth is," said Chris Brooks of the Vermont Wood Pellet Company.

Owners say the mill also provides local green energy, saving the need to import 1.2 million gallons of fuel oil.

Demand is already high. Heating with pellets costs less than heating with oil.

"For us heat local means we get all of our wood from about 30 miles of the plant and it goes out to about 50 miles," Brooks said.

A new business keeping Vermonters warm and employed.

Kristin Carlson - WCAX News