White Energy Gets Permit for Ethanol Plant in Hereford

By Cheryl Berzanskis, Amarillo Globe-News, Texas

Nov. 8–White Energy Ltd. has obtained an air permit for an ethanol plant east of Hereford that is expected to produce 100 million gallons a year.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued the permit last week.

“We’re pleased to have this phase behind us, and we’re eagerly anticipating the next phase — building the plant,” said Trey White, White Energy’s chief executive officer.

The plant will neighbor an Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. grain elevator. White Energy will store grain in the elevator prior to processing.

Construction, valued at $100 million, is expected to begin at the end of the year with ethanol production scheduled to start near the end of 2006.

The plant is expected to create 38 full-time jobs and support about 650 jobs in Hereford.

Panda Development Group recently received a permit for an ethanol plant also to be built in Hereford.

Jerry Stevens, general manager of Stevens 5-Star Car & Truck Center in Hereford, is on the board of Hereford Ethanol LLC, which studied the feasibility of ethanol production. He is an investor in White Energy Ltd.

“Both of those ethanol plants, Panda and White Energy, are going to employ from 30 to 50 people each. The trucking and the rail that are going to be combined with that — it’s going to be huge,” Stevens said.

He toured ethanol plants in Nebraska and South Dakota and saw railcars lined up to receive ethanol, and trucks dropping off corn and milo.

“It’s going to be a pretty big boost,” Stevens said.

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