NATCHEZ &8212; A bond bill that includes $15 million to help lure the Rentech fuel manufacturing plant to Adams County will be passed by the time the legislative session ends April 2.

That&8217;s according to state Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, and local officials who converged on the State Capitol Saturday to answer any questions lawmakers had regarding the project.

The Legislature missed a Saturday deadline to report bills from conference committees, where representatives and senators work out compromise measures.

But Johnson said legislators plan to vote, when they return to the Capitol this afternoon, to suspend the deadline or extend the session so they can continue to iron out details in conference committees.

&8220;This is nothing unusual &8212; it happens nearly every year,&8221; Johnson said, referring to missing the deadline. &8220;But after talking with the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means chairmen, I know Rentech is one (bond project) legislators are still supporting.&8221;

Johnson said that as of Saturday night, he expected the full $15 million requested by local leaders to be passed today or Monday.

And in an Associated Press story, House Ways and Means Chairman Percy Watson, D-Hattiesburg, said he&8217;s confident the $15 million for Rentech will survive the session.

Former state representative and current Natchez Mayor Phillip West said legislators asked no questions of the Rentech, city, county and Economic Development Authority officials that were at the Capitol Saturday.

But West, who said he had been at the statehouse for three days and planned to return today, said having so many local leaders appear in support of the bill made a favorable impression.

&8220;It&8217;s always good to have people show their faces and talk to (legislators) in person,&8221; West said. &8220;I never say something is 100 percent going to happen until the money&8217;s in the bank, &8230; but (lawmakers) are solidly in support of the Rentech project.&8221;

&8220;This is something both the House and Senate agree on,&8221; Supervisors President Darryl Grennell. &8220;But we&8217;ve come this far, and we can&8217;t become relaxed now.&8221;

Local leaders and officials of Colorado-based Rentech requested the $15 million for site work to prepare the old Belwood Country Club site at the port for the $800 million project.

The Rentech plant, which would gasify coal to create a cleaner type of diesel fuel, would mean 200 permanent jobs &8212; with an average salary of $45,000 plus benefits &8212; and 1,500 construction-phase jobs.