LoraxAg

In November 2009, it was reported that LoraxAg, a company based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, had raised $1 million toward an initial $4.5 million funding target in order to make farm fertilizer from high-sulfur coal. According to press reports, the $1.6 billion plant would produce urea and ammonia for fertilizer, and sulfuric acid for industrial users. The founders are Mike Farina, former COO and CFO of Atlantic Energy Ventures, Joshua E. Davidson, a telecommunications executive, and Michael Sununu, son of former New Hampshire governor and White House Chief of Staff John Sununu. The company had chosen two likely locations for the plant, one in Kentucky and one in Illinois. The project would use coal gasification technology from Siemens AG.

The name chosen by the founders for their company, LoraxAg, was based on the Dr. Seuss children's book The Lorax. According to Mike Farina, "The Lorax is the protector of the truffula trees. We think this is the greenest use of coal." Blogger Brad Johnson criticized the choice of names, calling it a "shameless act of greenwashing." After being informed by Johnson about the name, Dr. Seuss Enterprises lawyer Karl ZoBell stated that he had been unaware of the project. Dr. Seuss Enterprises sent a cease-and-desist letter to LoraxAg.

In July 2010 the Sierra Club noted that the project has received no further mention and appears to have been abandoned.

Project Details
Sponsor: LoraxAg Location: Kentucky or Illinois Size: Type: Coal gasification Projected in service: 2015 Status: Abandoned

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Greenwashing
 * Coal greenwashing
 * Coal-to-Liquids
 * Coal plant litigation
 * Kentucky and coal
 * United States and coal
 * Carbon Capture and Storage
 * Illinois and coal
 * US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
 * Proposed Synfuels Plants in the United States
 * State-by-state guide to information on coal in the United States (or click on the map)