It is a great testament to leadership and vision, as well as to the potential of opportunity. It is a story we have to tell all day, every day. We can’t miss an opportunity to speak about our state and how great it is to bring business here. We also have a forest products inventory. There are a lot of trees. Hyde-Smith said that you need to take advantage of the gifts God has given us. Climate change was the topic that none of the speakers addressed. This is one reason alternative energy sources such as wood pellets made from this plant are able to compete in the market. Some industries view timber as an alternative to fossil fuels such as oil and coal, despite the debate about whether wood fuel is carbon-neutral. Hyde-Smith answered, “Absolutely.” It’s very important.” However, she declined to answer any questions from Mississippi Today or to provide further details. One question she was asked about her motivations for supporting alternative fuels was ignored by the senator. Her aides told a reporter that they did not have any time to answer additional questions. When asked whether she believed climate change was man-made, Hyde Smith stepped into a waiting vehicle and replied, “We will discuss this later.” As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Hyde Smith also formerly headed the state ag commissioner. She plays an important role in advocacy and policymaking for Mississippi farmers. In 2015, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, was the only senator to vote no on a symbolic resolution affirming “climate change” as real. Mainstream science has long accepted that the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a major contributor to global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a report this month showing that climate change is likely to have more severe impacts at lower temperatures than previously thought. Scientists had previously believed that global temperatures must rise by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit to cause significant problems such as wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes. The report found that only 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit is needed to make the rise above preindustrial levels calamitous over the next 12 years. It would take significant global policy changes to keep these increases below 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Trump pulled the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement last year and has not shown any interest in making these changes. Hyde-Smith will be running for her Senate seat next week on a platform that aligns “100 percent” to the president’s agenda. Gary Ogle, the owner of Alternative Energy Development-Copiah said that there is a lot of belief in both sides, and very political beliefs, when asked about climate change and alternative energy. “It is something we must face, really,” said Gary Ogle, owner of Alternative Energy Development-Copiah. The forestry industry promotes burning wood pellets as a more sustainable and cleaner alternative to gas and coal. The market is expanding rapidly, with wood pellets being shipped primarily to overseas countries. According to Market Research, the market for wood pellets will reach $20 billion by 2023. This is a significant increase from the 1990s when it was almost non-existent. Wednesday’s announcement included AED’s 10-year agreement to sell 500,000 tonnes of these wood pellets annually to Asian markets. Ogle stated that the plant will directly employ 60 people and add 200 indirect jobs in timber harvesting or trucking. Arthur Evans, the executive director of Copiah County’s Economic Development District, stated that “it’s all about jobs, job, jobs.” Alternative Energy Development-Copiah will take over the plant, which had been vacant since 1992. In 2010, Hyde-Smith was a state senator and had approached Ogle to build a sawmill there. “I am excited that the Hazlehurst facility will create a new market for wood fiber from Mississippi. Hyde-Smith stated in a statement that pellet manufacturing will bring new life to the plant, create jobs and strengthen the region’s economy. Even though wood pellets produce significantly less carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels, there is evidence that this may not be as beneficial to the environment as some industry leaders believe. Wood pellets are mainly made from wood chips, a residual product of logging, and wood “first cutting” trees. These trees are younger trees that have been cut to make room for the larger trees. Ogle stated that it is 100 percent wood and wouldn’t have been used in any other way. Some environmentalists believe that some forests from states such as North Carolina and Florida were cut down in order to meet the demand. Wood pellets are strongly supported by the timber industry, which has recently seen slower growth in some markets like paper and pulp. Tedrick Ratcliff, Forestry Association, stated that Mississippi has a lot of wood supply so it makes sense for the state to send this to other countries. “Landowners love the idea of additional markets.” Mississippi Today has full coverage of the historic runoff between Cindy Hyde Smith and Mike Espy.