Biotech Updates

Perceptions of Biofuel Impacts in Communities Hosting Bioethanol Plants

March 25, 2011
(complete access to journal article may require subscription or payment) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V22-51BP6FH-2&_user=9570260&_coverDate=04%2F30%2F2011&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235690%232011%23999649995%233001742%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5690&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=27&_acct=C000061230&_version=1&
_urlVersion=0&_userid=9570260&md5=4086750aaaf13b99bca340233a3cf649&searchtype=a

Researchers from the State University of New York, Kansas State University, and Iowa State University (United States) report the use of a "community case study approach to examine local community perceptions of benefits and burdens of the ethanol industry". Community perceptions of biofuels were explored from community level survey data, as well as individual/focus group interview data in three case study communities in Iowa, Kansas.

Among the findings of their study are: (1) communities hosting biofuel ethanol plants "believe that ethanol plants have brought modest economic benefits to their community", (2) areas of concern include increased traffic, water competition, future viability of the ethanol industry, and potentially devastating impacts in their communities if a future decline in the bioethanol industry occurs. The full study is published in the journal, Biomass and Bioenergy (URL above).