Over the next several months, federal and state agencies will study the effects of a litter-fuelled power plant in the Valley, reports WHSV.

Members of the Shenandoah Valley Poultry Litter to Energy Watershed say turning litter into fuel would be cost-efficient.

Currently, poultry litter is used as a low-grade fertiliser for nearby farms. It can also be used as protein in feed for some livestock and it can be turned into energy.

There are currently several power plants in the United Kingdom and the United States using poultry litter as their primary source of fuel, which can later be used for electricity and heat.

On Monday, about 70 people gathered at the Department of Environmental Quality in Harrisonburg to discuss this topic.

It was an exploratory meeting to discuss the major elements for the scope of the study, according to WHSV.