That’s even though scant information is available about the company that is seeking the written accolades or its patented energy-making process or its sources for funding.
What little is known has come mainly from Steve Clark, president of ZEST-TX Inc., who says he wants to build a facility at the Killeen landfill that would generate energy from steam produced by the oxidation of garbage with zero emissions as a result.
Clark announced his intention to pursue money to build the plant at Killeen during a press conference last week. He said the cost would be $300 million, and construction would take about three years.
He said Fort Hood would be one sizeable customer for the energy produced.
The commissioners court on Monday authorized County Judge Jon Burrows to write a letter supporting Clark’s company.
Killeen officials refused to release a copy of what the council will consider during today’s meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. at city hall. City Manager Connie Green did not return repeated phone calls Friday or Monday.
Search engines on the Internet could not find any Web site or any other information for ZEST-TX Inc.
ZEROS Inc., with Clark as president, does have a presence on the Web, touting the ZEROS zero-emission oxidation energy-producing process.
ZEROS Inc. is a successor to ZEROS USA Inc., which Clark also headed up. ZEROS USA Inc.’s original filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are dated in the late 1990s.
In the original filings, the company states it was formed to produce, market and license the zero-emissions equipment and the process. The worldwide rights to those products were purchased by ZEROS from M. Ltd. Inc., owned by Clark and incorporated in the Bahamas.
ZEROS, according to the filing, would sell licenses to licensees who would in turn sell licenses.
At the time of the filing, ZEROS had sold three licenses for $2.7 million each. One was purchased by Pat Ramsay of ZEROS Piney Creek Corp. for a plant in Mississippi. One was bought by Richard and Kim Lawson of Thermal, Calif., owners of Lawson ZEROS Corp. And the final went to Robert Martin Builders Inc. of ZEROS California Corp.
Clark said last week that no plants have been built.
Working phone numbers could not be found for any of the three licensees, nor did they have Internet sites accessible via the most popular search engines.
However, the ZEROS SEC filing states: “Each of the Licensees or possible Licensees contemplates the installation of ZEROS authorized equipment for its own account or that of an affiliate. All of the agreements entered into to date by the company require that at least one ZEROS plant be installed and that the Licensee present a minimum of five qualified license purchase referrals during the term of the agreement. Even though the contract Licensees and/or purchasers of the equipment have the financial capabilities in the opinion of the company to acquire at least one plant, there can be no assurance that the Licensees will continue to meet the financial terms of their agreement or that they or the Company will be able to secure the required financing to permit the construction of the plants should it be necessary.”
Later SEC filings indicate ZEROS had a dispute with its accounting firm over questionable loan transactions.
Clark indicated some of the $300 million in construction money would come from Gulf Coast Industrial Foundation.
Killeen City Attorney Kathy Davis called Gulf Coast Industrial Foundation a state organization designed specifically to fund such projects.
Gulf Coast Industrial Foundation is not a state agency, according to a Texas Online search.
Nor do any popular search engines find a Web site for such an entity.
There is no entry in Wikipedia for the ZEROS zero-emission energy production process.
Fort Hood also supports ZEST-TX Inc., according to Nancy Bourget, spokesman for III Corps Public Affairs.
State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, appeared at last week’s press conference and embraced the ZEST-TX Inc. plan, as did Dr. Allen Jones of Texas A&M University, who later said he helped steer Clark in the direction of Bell County for his first plant.
