Rentech’s plans to put a coal-to-liquids fuel plant in Natchez just got a big bump of confidence.

Tuesday, the Mississippi Business Finance Corporation gave the company approval to apply for $2.75 billion in bonds.

While that’s just a first step toward the possible issuance of such bonds, it’s an important first step, a really massive, first step.

The numbers are a bit staggering to consider: $2.75 billion.

That’s $2,750,000,000.

Pretty impressive, even measured against the world’s richest man, software entrepreneur Bill Gates.

That impressive string of zeroes behind the dollar sign represents an equal amount of faith, faith in a project that stands to have a significant impact on the future of Natchez-Adams County.

The amount is the largest inducement that the non-profit MBFC has ever approved.

That says something about the massive potential the project has and the level of excitement building over the “what ifs” that could be just around the corner.

Our hats off to Woody Allen, the chairman of the Natchez-Adams Economic Development Authority for continuing to lead the county’s push to make Rentech’s dream a reality here. Allen and the supportive elected officials with the county deserve the area’s appreciation for keeping things moving with Rentech.

Rentech still isn’t a done deal yet, but with an option on the former International Paper site and now the ability to proceed with seeking massive bond money to finance the project, it’s looking more and more real each day.

And with each new headline, our confidence is bumped up a notch, too.