Under a plan revealed to Jeffersoniowanews.com, six brand-new, methane-powered transportation vehicles will soon be purchased by Greene County for trial use as a mass-transit system in Farlin. The selection of these vehicles keeps Greene County eco-friendly while at the same time providing the five current Farlin residents with ultra-modern, efficient transportation.
F.A.R.T.,
as it will be known, will be supplied with a steady source of liquid
methane by the Jefferson Wastewater Treatment Facility (pictured). Some
sources estimate that the manure produced by a single cow could be the
equivalent of 200 liters of gasoline. This is far more economical and
renewable than ethanol.Originally, F.A.R.T. will operate routes throughout the Farlin area only, with a possible hub linking it with neighboring Jefferson. It is, however, possible that with success the routes may be expanded to include a larger portion of Greene County.
Local farmers are being trained in the proper technique of retrieving methane gas from cattle and storing it in special pressurized tanks for delivery to the wastewater treatment facility. Dates and delivery times will be posted when they are made available.
In
conjunction with plans for Jefferson's new subway system (see related
link on jeffersoniowanews.com), Greene County's transportation assets
are beginning to spiral rapidly into the twenty-first century. Similar services have recently been implemented in Bulgaria and Finland, with mixed reviews. Vehicle exhaust has been reduced substantially, although a slightly unpleasant odor has been reported.
Spencer Straight, 09-11-2008