NATCHEZ &8212; A delegation of county supervisors traveled to Jackson Tuesday to impress on lawmakers the importance of issuing $15 million in bonds for the Rentech project.

&8220;The objective is to try to meet with as many lawmakers as we can to tell them how important this would be for Adams County and Mississippi,&8221; supervisors President Darryl Grennell said earlier Tuesday.

Under House Bill 1524, the state would issue $15 million in bonds to help finance a plant that would produce a low-emission diesel fuel from coal and petroleum coke. Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, filed the same bill with the Senate Tuesday.

Colorado-based fuel company Rentech has said it wants to place the 200-job plant on the county&8217;s Belwood industrial property by the end of 2010, contingent on state and federal incentives.

Grennell said the county&8217;s contingent met with several of the Legislature&8217;s top leaders, including speaker of the House Billy McCoy.

&8220;He was very supportive,&8221; Grennell said. &8220;He said he would do anything he could to help Southwest Mississippi.&8221;

Rep. Robert Johnson III, D-Natchez and the bill&8217;s lead author, said the delegation will probably have to come back to the Capitol to lobby again in the next few weeks, especially since the bill was just introduced Monday.

But he noted that making several appearances couldn&8217;t hurt.

&8220;It makes a big impact when you see that people drive all the way here from their hometown. It lets you know how serious a matter it really is,&8221; Johnson said.

Numbers also matter, Johnson said, adding that local officials &8220;should get as big a delegation as they can to fill the gallery.&8221;

Under the bill, the plant must have an initial capital investment &8212; from sources other than the state &8212; of at least $800 million and create at least 200 full-time jobs with an average annual salary of $45,000, excluding benefits, or repay the state&8217;s money.

Local officials have said Rentech will match the $15 million in state money with $10 million of its own money.

The bill now heads to the House Ways and Means Committee for action. The deadline for the full House to take action on the bill is Feb. 22.

The bill was also authored by Reps. Sam Mims, R-McComb, Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia, and America &8220;Chuck&8221; Middleton, D-Port Gibson.