[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 165 (Monday, December 19, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Sunday, December 18, 2005

  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the House and to 
acknowledge the innovative work of the National Center for Sustainable 
Development (NCSD) a national 501 c 3 nonprofit corporation 
headquartered here in Washington, DC and doing good work in my home 
state of Texas through its Dallas and Austin offices to restore urban 
and suburban contaminated real estate to new productive use. The Center 
is now undertaking potentially significant initiatives involving both 
energy production and air quality in local communities in the recycling 
of waste products to biodiesel. As Texas is the historic home of 
innovation and creativity in the use of natural and man made resources, 
my purpose is to encourage the pilot initiative being undertaken by the 
Center in the city of Texarkana focusing on the recycling of commercial 
and industrial food waste products currently a significant threat to 
the proper maintenance and efficiency of municipal waste water 
treatment facilities.
  The initiative which I seek recognition for will produce biodiesel 
from a waste stream currently which is a constraint on the development 
of services and small business serving the community of Texarkana and 
placing a burden on the infrastructure that assures proper and 
environmentally appropriate disposal of grease and waste oils. The 
undertaking of such a pilot program in Texarkana, Texas is not by 
chance. The operations of the pilot will be located in an industrial 
park next to the Red River Army Depot, the main focus of which is the 
refurbishment and maintenance of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and the 
Humvees currently supporting our mission in Iraq. A portion of the 
biodiesel rendered from this initiative will be made available to RRAD 
for their use in testing its properties for both quality as a fuel and 
its properties as a cleaner burning replacement for conventional 
petroleum based diesel fuel.
  As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality I 
recognize that many are pursuing the goals of increased efficiency and 
air quality that biodiesel holds for helping to satisfy the domestic 
need for diesel fuel, now in short supply, and that many methods are 
being evaluated, but my hope is that NCSD can help create and encourage 
energy production from existing resources now perceived as obstacles to 
sustainable growth in my district and elsewhere.
  By the House and Committee's acknowledgement of the initiative of the 
National Center for Sustainable Development I am asking for their 
report on the progress of the Texarkana facility at the milestone of 
their first six full months of operations. The subcommittee will be 
interested in the results of this initiative for both its applications 
for energy production and for improved air quality. I will close by 
reiterating my support for this worthy initiative and to follow their 
progress as an example for use by the subcommittee in its critical 
work.

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