Hearing Set for Posey Ethanol Plant

By BILL MEDLEY, Courier & Press staff writer 464-7519 or medleyb@courierpress.com

State officials will host a public hearing Thursday in Mount Vernon to discuss draft air permits for one of several ethanol plants proposed for Posey County.

Pekin, Ill.-based Aventine Renewable Energy and Consolidated Grain and Barge have proposed building a 220-gallon ethanol plant at the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon.

When unveiled last year, officials said it would be the largest ethanol plant east of the Mississippi River.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management will discuss the draft permit and accept public comments at the meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at the Alexandrian Public Library, 115 W. Fifth St., in Mount Vernon.

The $400 million plant is expected to employ between 50 and 70 people when completed. It would use 80 million bushels of corn from area farmers annually once it ramps up to full production.

According to the draft permit, the plant would be powered by natural gas.

In addition to the permit covering the plant itself, Consolidated Grain and Barge has submitted an air permit application covering the processes and structures involved with transporting and storing grain at the facility, including dump pits, bins and silos. Consolidated Grain and Barge already has operations at the Mount Vernon port.

Earlier this summer, Aventine said it plans to begin construction on the plant after receiving the necessary permits. Once the company gives contractors a “notice to proceed,” the plant could begin operations in 18 months.

Aventine plans to first build a plant with an annual capacity of 113 gallons at the Posey County site and then begin a second construction phase to double production.

State officials will also accept written comments on the draft permits through Sept. 1. Comments may be sent to: Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 100 N. Senate Ave., Mail Code 61-53 DV IGCN 1003, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251. The comments should refer to permit numbers 129-24836-00051 and 129-24928-00014.

Posey County is also the site for a proposed ethanol plant from Abengoa BioEnergy on 51 acres in the southeastern part of the county. Also, ASAlliances has announced plans for an ethanol facility west of Mount Vernon near a Cargill grain facility.

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