Experts
Many of the sites listed on this page are not on the EPA website. Please see our disclaimer information. 
Interest in anaerobic digestion systems for livestock manure stabilization and energy production is accelerating. To help build on this forward momentum, the AgSTAR Program maintains the following informational resources to further assist in the planning and development of digester systems.
Organizations
Organizations such as state energy offices, USDA field offices, university programs, and non-government organizations can provide technical, financial, and planning assistance for the development of anaerobic digester systems and biogas utilization technologies.
| Organization | Contact | Title | Phone | Organization Type | State/Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sustainability Institute, University of California Davis | Thomas Tomich (tptomich@ucdavis.edu) | Director | 530-574-2503 | University | CA |
| Climate Action Reserve | Max DuBuisson (max@climateactionreserve.org) | Business Development Manager | 213-785-1233 | Non-profit | CA |
| Sustainable Conservation | Allen Dusault (adusault@suscon.org) | Program Director | 415-977-0380 x303 | Non-profit | CA |
| USDA Rural Development – California | Charles M. Clendenin (Chuck.Clendenin@ca.usda.gov) | Rural Energy Coordinator | 530-792-5825 | Government | CA |
| Western United Dairymen | Mike Marsh (info@westernuniteddairymen.com) | CEO | 209-527-6453 | Non-profit | CA |
| Rocky Mountain Farmers Union | Bill Midcap (bill.midcap@mfu.org) | Director, Renewable Energy Development | 303-283-3528 | Non-profit | CO |
| American Biogas Council | Contact Us (info@americanbiogascouncil.org) | 202-457-0868 | Industry Association | DC | |
| Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida | Dr. Ann C. Wilkie (acwilkie@ufl.edu) | Professor | 352-392-8699 | University | FL |
| Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Georgia | Gary L. Hawkins (ghawkins@uga.edu) | Agricultural Pollution Prevention Specialist | 229-391-2511 | University | GA |
| Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, Iowa State University | Daniel Andersen (dsa@iastate.edu) | Assistant Professor | 515-294-4167 | University | IA |
| Iowa Department of Natural Resources | Allan Goldberg (Allan.Goldberg@dnr.iowa.gov) | Supervisor, Financial and Business Assistance | 515-281-8912 | Government | IA |
| Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University | Brent Gloy (bgloy@purdue.edu) | Associate Professor | 765-494-0468 | University | IN |
| Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center, Michigan State University | Dana Kirk (Kirkdana@anr.msu.edu) | Specialist | 517-432-6530 | University | MI |
| Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | William F. Lazarus (wlazarus@umn.edu) | Professor and Extension Economist | 612-625-8150 | University | MN |
| Great Plains Institute | Amanda Bilek (abilek@gpisd.net) | Energy Policy Specialist | 612-278-7118 | Non-profit | MN |
| Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | Rob Kostinec (Robert.Kostinec@pca.state.mn.us) | Watershed Unit – Feedlots Engineer | Government | MN | |
| The Minnesota Project | Ryan Stockwell (rstockwell@mnproject.org) | Clean Energy Program Manager | 651-789-3330 | Non-profit | MN |
| USDA Rural Development – Minnesota | Lisa Noty (Lisa.Noty@mn.usda.gov) | Rural Energy Coordinator | 507-373-7960 x120 | Government | MN |
| Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, North Dakota State University | Dr. Shafiqur Rahman (s.rahman@ndsu.edu) | Assistant Professor | 701-231-8351 | University | ND |
| Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality | Joe Francis (joe.francis@nebraska.gov) | Associate Director, Field Services & Assistance | 402-471-6087 | Government | NE |
| USDA Rural Development - Nebraska | Deb Yocum (Debra.Yocum@ne.usda.gov) | Renewable Energy Coordinator | 402-437-5554 | Government | NE |
| Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University | Lars Angent (La249@cornell.edu) | Associate Professor | 607-255-2480 | University | NY |
| Cornell Waste Management Institute | Ellen Harrison (Ezh1@cornell.edu) | Director | 607-255-8576 | University | NY |
| NYSERDA | Tom Fiesinger (twf@nyserda.ny.gov) | Project Manager | 518-862-1090 x3218 | Government | NY |
| USDA Rural Development – New York | Scott Collins (Scott.Collins@ny.usda.gov) | Assistant to the State Director | 315-477-6409 | Government | NY |
| USDA Rural Development – New York | Thomas Hauryski (Thomas.Hauryski@ny.usda.gov) | Rural Energy Coordinator | 607-776-7398 x132 | Government | NY |
| USDA Rural Development – New York | Joseph Heller (Joseph.Heller@ny.usda.gov) | USDA, NRCS, RC&D Coordinator | 845-883-7162 x104 | Government | NY |
| Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University | Yebo Li (li.851@osu.edu) | Assistant Professor | 330-263-3855 | University | OH |
| Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University | Douglas W. Hamilton (dhamilt@okstate.edu) | Associate Professor | 405-744-7089 | University | OK |
| Animal Sciences Department, Oregon State University | Mike Gamroth (mike.gamroth@oregonstate.edu) | Professor | 541-737-3316 | University | OR |
| University of Tennessee Extension | Robert Burns (rburns@utk.edu) | Assistant Dean for Agriculture, Natural Resources & Resource Development | 865-974-7112 | University | TN |
| Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Science, Utah State University | Conly Hansen (conly.hansen@usu.edu) | Professor | 435-797-2188 | University | UT |
| Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Jactone Arogo Ogejo (arogo@vt.edu) | Associate Professor | 540-231-6815 | University | VA |
| Green Mountain Power, Cow Power | Dave Dunn (David.Dunn@greenmountainpower.com) | Cow Power Coordinator | 802-747-5681 | Utility | VT |
| Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets | Dan Scruton (dan.scruton@state.vt.us) | Senior Agricultural Development Coordinator | 802-828-3836 | Government | VT |
| Department of Renewable Energy, University of Wisconsin-Platteville | Dr. Tim Zauche (zauchet@uwplatt.edu) | Associate Professor | 608-342-1678 | University | WI |
| Focus on Energy | Call Center (Renewinfo@focusonenergy.com) | 800-762-7077 | Government | WI | |
| USDA Rural Development – Wisconsin | Kelley Oehler (Kelley.Oehler@wi.usda.gov) | Rural Energy Coordinator | 715-345-7615 | Government | WI |
| Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, University of Wisconsin-Madison | Gary Radloff (gradloff@wbi.wisc.edu) | Director of Midwest Energy Policy Analysis | 608-890-3449 | University | WI |
| Biosystems Engineering Department, University of Manitoba | Dr. Nazim Cicek (nazim_cicek@umanitoba.ca) | Professor | 204-474-6208 | University | Manitoba, CA |
If you would like your organization added to this list, please send an email to agstar@erg.com with the appropriate information.
State Partners
AgSTAR State Partners have committed to help identify and overcome barriers for anaerobic digester projects, share information, and provide education and outreach to farms in their area. Use the following list to contact a Partner in your area.
| Organization | Contact | Title | Phone | Organization Type | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Center of Wisconsin | Joe Kramer (jkramer@ecw.org) | Senior Project Manager | 608-238-8276 x119 | Non-profit | WI |
| Iowa Department of Natural Resources | Allan Goldberg (Allan.Goldberg@dnr.iowa.gov) | Supervisor, Financial and Business Assistance | 515-281-8912 | Government | IA |
| Iowa State University | Dr. Raj Raman (rajraman@iastate.edu) | Associate Professor | 515-294-0465 | University | IA |
| Nebraska Methane Working Group | Peggy Berlowitz (peggy.berlowitz@nebraska.gov) | Field Services and Assistance Division | 402-471-6974 | Non-profit | NE |
| Oregon Dairy Farmers Association | Amanda Green (cloverun@hotmail.com) | Renewable Energy Specialist | 360-751-4190 | Non-profit | OR |
| Oregon State University Animal Sciences Department | Mike Gamroth (mike.gamroth@oregonstate.edu) | Professor | 541-737-3316 | University | OR |
| Sustainable Conservation | Allen Dusault (adusault@suscon.org) | Program Director | 415-977-0380 x303 | Non-profit | CA |
| University of Tennessee | Shawn Hawkins (shawkins@utk.edu) | Assistant Professor | 865-974-7722 | University | TN |
| Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets | Dan Scruton (dan.scruton@state.vt.us) | Senior Agricultural Development Coordinator | 802-828-3836 | Government | VT |
USDA Rural Development Business Programs - State Office Rural Energy Coordinators
The USDA State Energy Coordinators (DOC) (10 pp, 90K, Download Microsoft Word Viewer) are experts in helping you assess your eligibility and apply for funding available through the Farm Bill, including the new Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Contact these individuals to determine funding cycles and on the application processes of various Farm Bill funding opportunities.