A nearly completed feasibility study on the Renewable Energy Clean Air Project could help Koochiching County officials secure federal stimulus money for the project.

RECAP would use a plasma arc torch to vaporize garbage and other waste to produce electricity and other valuable byproducts.

The Koochiching Development Authority Board discussed in a special meeting the status of the project by telephone Tuesday with John Howard and Steve Korstad of Coronal, the company that plans to partner with the county to develop the facility.

Howard said the project has reached significant milestones, including that a feasibility study on the project is about two-thirds complete. Portions of the study about program management, a kick-off meeting, solid waste supply profile, technical review, estimated capitol costs and site selection have been completed.

“Now, we’re waiting to go into the design part of the study,” Howard said. “That will afford us more detailed information that will be gathered as for tasks associated with expenses.”

He estimated the study could be completed by October.

However, he said a time delay was caused by requirements by the U.S. Department of Energy and in coordinating information to all reporting agencies.

“The scrutiny the project has been under has been a good thing,” he said.

Howard said the real data collected through the feasibility study may help the project attain more federal money through Pres. Barack Obama’s stimulus plan.

“They are looking at renewable energy as the new jobs frontier,” Howard said. He suggested the board consider seeking some of the money, noting that federal officials have indicated that each approved project could receive a minimum of $15 million, with state matches.

Next week, the board is expected to consider a contract between the KDA and the Minnesota Pollution Control Board that would match a $393,000 grant earmarked earlier for the project from the U.S. Department of Energy for the feasibility study.

Howard recounted money earmarked for the project already: $400,000 from the Minnesota Legislature; $393,000 from DOE, with the match from the MPCA; and $951,000 from the federal government.

Serving as county commissioners Tuesday, the board agreed to ask department supervisors to cut as much from their 2009 budgets as possible. Commissioners will review targeted cuts from each department.

The action was spurred by Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s plan to cut aid to counties and cities to help balance the state’s budget.

Koochiching County could lose portions of its payment in lieu of taxes, money the state pays the county to manage public land; and county aid.

County Coordinator Teresa Jaksa urged the board to look for long-term savings and noted that a number of employees plan to retire soon. Keeping some of those positions vacant could help the county fill the funding gap expected by the state cuts, she said.

In other business, commissioners met in committee to discuss expanding green space at the veterans memorial area being developed adjacent to the courthouse property and to expand the courthouse parking lot.

Commissioners said they want to know if the International Falls City Council would consider vacating Seventh Avenue between the courthouse and TruStar for the green space around the memorial and to create additional courthouse parking spaces.

In addition, the board will ask for a legal review of whether money from the county’s Land and Forestry Department park reserves could be used for the memorial green space that would connect the courthouse to the memorial.