Spokane, Wash. – Entergy Corporation, one of the nation’s leading utility
companies, and the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association have combined
efforts to help reduce global warming through environmentally beneficial farming
practices. The Letter of Intent signed today calls for participating farmers of
the PNDSA to implement new direct seed agricultural techniques in the Pacific
Entergy would receive credit for carbon dioxide and emissions reductions
achieved through direct seed agriculture which would ultimately help offset CO2
emissions from the company’s power plants in the United States. With Entergy’s
support, the direct seed project would reduce over 30,000 tons of CO2
emissions over a 10-year period.
PNDSA and Environmental Defense, a national nonprofit environmental
organization, also have a cooperative agreement to investigate and encourage the
adoption of environmentally beneficial farming practices. In May 2001, Entergy
became the first U. S. utility company to publicly announce a commitment that
the company would voluntarily take actions to stabilize its domestic greenhouse
gas emissions and work with Environmental Defense to develop a long-term target
to achieve additional reductions.
"Entergy is undertaking a number of internal and external
projects to reduce emissions and achieve its greenhouse gas target," said
Dr. Marty Smith, Entergy's climate program coordinator. "In addition to
helping reduce emissions, this project affords Entergy the opportunity to make a
contribution to the advancement of a new and more environmentally sound method
Traditional agricultural practices, in which top layers of soil are turned
over and exposed, allow carbon sequestered in the soil to be oxidized and
released into the atmosphere. The new direct seed technique involves cultivation
and fertilization using "no-till" direct injection methods that leave
the soil undisturbed and avoid the associated CO2 emissions.
Additional emissions of CO2 also are permanently eliminated by
reducing the amount of fossil fuel burned in farm equipment during the period of
the agreement. Carbon sequestration in soils and reduced emissions of greenhouse
gas pollution help slow the buildup of these gases in the atmosphere.
"This project will allow farmers to make conservation investments that
will pay off for them, as well as for the planet's future," said Karl
Kupers, vice president of the PNDSA and lead for negotiations
on behalf of PNDSA. "We are proud to be involved in this
unprecedented partnership between farmers, major industry and an environmental
group. Such cooperation is critical to retooling agriculture, which must happen
to ensure survival of the family farm business, the fabric of rural America and
ultimately a higher quality of life for everyone."
Environmental Defense economist Dr. Zach Willey said, "These new farming
practices will help protect the environment and our nation's soil resources in a
sustainable manner. The project can show how best to improve farming practices
and can give farmers incentives to join the fight against global warming."
Entergy Corporation, headquartered in New Orleans, La., is a major global
energy company with power production, distribution operations and related
diversified services. Entergy owns, manages, or invests in power plants
generating more than 30,000 megawatts of electricity domestically and
internationally, and delivers electricity to about 2.6 million customers in
portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Through Entergy-Koch,
L.P., it is also a leading provider of wholesale energy marketing and trading
services. Entergy’s online address is www.entergy.com.
PNDSA, based in Pasco, Wash., is a non-profit organization providing
education and assistance to farmers in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and
California on the adoption of low- and no-till cultural practices in farming
operations. PNDSA’s online address is www.directseed.org.
Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization based in New
York, represents more than 300,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense
has linked science, economics and law to create innovative, equitable and
cost-effective solutions to the most urgent environmental problems.
Environmental Defense’s online address is www.environmentaldefense.org.