EPA, Justice announce Minnesota ethanol settlement
Date: 04-Oct-02
Country: USA
Wednesday's settlement, the first to mandate reductions in air pollution from the ethanol industry, dictates that the plants must install pollution control equipment called thermal oxidizers to reduce emissions such as carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOC).
The Justice Department estimated the cost of installing thermal oxidizers at about $2 million per plant. The 12 production facilities will also pay civil penalties ranging from $29,000 to $39,000 each.
The EPA has been investigating the Minnesota plants since May after emissions data collected earlier this year suggested some plants may be polluting the air.
EPA officials met with representatives from 46 ethanol companies in June to brief industry members on the findings and suggest measures to reduce toxic byproducts of ethanol production. Most of the 2 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the United States is made from corn.
EPA official John Peter Suarez said in a statement: "These settlements will set the standard in the ethanol manufacturing industry and we hope others will follow quickly."
"The cooperative response will guarantee that necessary modifications are implemented in the quickest possible time frame," said Bob Dineen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol trade group.
Ethanol is a gasoline additive which helps gas burn cleaner. Most of the Minnesota plants are small, farmer-owned ethanol plants struggling to become profitable. The top U.S. producer is Illinois-based Archer Daniels Midland .
