County Board to decide on biodiesel plant
A proposed biodiesel manufacturing plant, if built 10 miles southwest of Peoria, would create more than 15 permanent full-time jobs and produce 45 million gallons of fuel annually, equivalent to 10 percent of all the biodiesel fuel produced in the United States last year.
Biodiesel Manufacturers of Illinois LLC already has received initial approval to rezone 33 acres of farmland adjacent to the former Caterpillar Inc. foundry near Mapleton and Illinois Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, says he hopes to appropriate $5 million from a state capital budget to support the project, but there are still some hurdles.
The first comes Thursday night when Peoria County Board members are expected to vote on rezoning the land. Others include environmental permits that are required for the projected $35 million to $40 million facility.
But the biggest hurdle lies in Springfield with legislators, says Sudhir Seth, president and CEO of Biodiesel Manufacturers of Illinois.
The state money is crucial to breaking ground this year, Seth said, and while no state funding may not kill the "green" project, he and other investors - including former Caterpillar CEO Glen Barton, O'Brien Steel President Joe O'Brien, Otto Baum Construction President Wayne Baum and Core Construction President Ken Baum - would have to meet and rethink their plans.
Legislators have yet to approve any state capital spending.
If built, the Mapleton biodiesel plant would be one of five in Illinois, two already in production - with a combined annual production capacity of 53 million gallons - and two under construction.
Plans already are in place to expand the proposed plant's capacity to 120 million gallons within its fourth year of operation. "There is a huge demand (for biodiesel)," Seth said, which is evident in climbing production.
For comparisons, U.S. production of biodiesel topped 250 million gallons in 2006, according the National Biodiesel Board. Estimates for biodiesel production in 2007 are at about 450 million gallons. That's compared to 91 million gallons in 2005 and 28 million gallons in 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center.
The boost in production over recent years comes partly because of higher prices for fossil-based fuels - making biodiesel, expensive to produce, more attractive - as well as a push for more environmental fuels, which has translated into government incentives for producing biodiesel.
The proposed plant will use primarily soybean oil purchased locally to generate the biodiesel, Seth said, and will be virtually noise and odor free and could see production beginning early in 2009.
Emissions, he said, will be far below the threshold set up by the Illinois EPA. Wastewater generation shall only be to an extent of about 2,000 gallons a day, which will be collected and discharged in the treatment plant at Bartonville, five miles north of the site.
"That way, it is a green plant without any hazardous impact on the environment or community," Seth said.
One aspect that could set the proposed Mapleton biodiesel plant apart from other biodiesel manufacturers is the use of "pennycress," a member of the mustard family that contains double the oil content as soybeans.
Two experimental fields, about 30 acres, are now growing in association with the regional Ag Lab of the USDA in Peoria that could head to the Mapleton plant to be processed into usable fuel.
Only one resident has spoken publicly against the proposed development.
Courtney Hutchingson, who lives at 10408 Surface Road, said he has concerns including the potential for noise and loss of property value.
The property, currently owned by Caterpillar, was chosen because of its access to rail, port and interstates, Seth said. Provided the necessary approval and funding comes through, construction of the facility could begin soon and be completed within 12 to 15 months.
Dave Haney can be reached at (309) 686-3181 or dhaney@pjstar.com.