Other Initiatives
Saltwater Shrimp Research Project
Economic development and education are always topping most elected official's priority list. They fuel our economic engine through developing the work force and facilitating research for innovative advancements and business growth.
Without a well-prepared work force, economic prosperity will wither and die. On the other hand, a stagnant economic base erodes the foundations of our educational system through inadequate funding, loss of collaborative research opportunities, and a decrease of innovative entrepreneurs to draw upon for new ideas.
Part of Government's role is to provide educational opportunities and aggressively promote economic development. To that end the Commonwealth of Kentucky is diligently working to create an environment to entice new business.
As part of this growth, several years ago the state provided Hardin County an opportunity to facilitate a significant portion of a multi-million dollar state sponsored research project. The project involved collaboration of a private enterprise, Magnolia Shrimp, and the Commonwealth through partnerships with the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University.
This research effort would have been little cost to county government. The primary benefit to the project for locating in Hardin County was utilizing heat generated from converting methane gas into electricity to warm the water in the demonstration phase of a research effort to grow salt-water shrimp year around in a climate-controlled environment. A key component of the economic viability of this project was using our waste heat to reduce energy costs in the research phase and to provide proof for the concept for heating water during full-scale production.
The only real "cost" to Hardin County was granting a low cost lease for five of the 1,600 acres of county owned land at the landfill, of which less than 700 acres are anticipated for use in support of landfill operations. Subsequent full-scale production opportunities may have required the use of another ten acres.
The county's consulting engineers provided Fiscal Court a written statement indicating the use of these acres would not adversely impact current or planned waste disposal activities. These activities include expanding the landfill to more than four times its current capacity, thereby providing a remaining life of over fifty years.
The project's payoff to Hardin County would have been tremendous. First, we had a rare opportunity to partner with the state for a research and development project here in Hardin County. Imagine the educational opportunities in the field of aquaculture for our local school systems and the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.
Second, state sponsored aquaculture research in Hardin County would have certainly provided beneficial long term impacts and diversification opportunities for our local farm community.
Third, economic development growth would have certainly occurred following the success of the demonstration phase. Numerous production facilities would have been needed for growing shrimp. Processing and packaging facilities would have been inevitable to prepare the product for shipping. And of course the transportation and all the supporting business associated with shipping would have flourished.
Unfortunately Fiscal Court decided to REJECT the offer to bring to our region state sponsored research, education, and economic development opportunities related to a multi-billion dollar national enterprise. We must ensure our local governments are comprised of leaders wanting to move our county forward, not just accept the status quo. We cannot allow petty politics and "good ole boy" shenanigans to hold back our economic progress. Hardin County deserves forward thinking innovative leadership to capitalize on the opportunities available to grow more prosperous.