Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Media contact: Forrest Peterson, (320) 214-3789 Technical contact: Jim Sullivan, (651) 297-1788 Marshall, Minn. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has scheduled a public information meeting on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2005 to discuss the proposed Heron Lake BioEnergy ethanol project. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Heron Lake Community Center, 312 10th St. MPCA staff will provide information and answer questions about the project's Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and draft air quality and water quality permits. The documents are available for public review and comment through March 4, 2005. The EAW describes potential impacts on land use, water quality, and air quality. Wastewater discharged from a treatment facility and stormwater associated with an industrial activity require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. The draft air permit describes how the facility will meet federal and state air quality standards. A total of 14 tanks would be regulated by an above ground storage tank permit. The proposed plant would cover 37 acres at a site about one mile northeast of the city of Heron Lake in Jackson County. It would process 21.7 million bushels of corn annually to produce 55 million gallons of ethanol and 193,300 tons of distillers dried grains. Air emissions from one of two dryers will be controlled by a thermal oxidizer, reducing volatile organic compounds by 95 percent and helping to control odors. A coal-fired boiler will provide steam for processing and also act as the thermal oxidizer for the second dryer. Water used in the fermenting process will be processed in a wastewater treatment facility and recycled. Water used for cooling will be treated and piped underground one mile to the Heron Lake outlet. Stormwater and reject waters from the water treatment processes also will be discharged to Heron Lake. Wells will provide the facility's water needs, estimated to be 517 gallons per minute. Comments on the Heron Lake BioEnergy ethanol project EAW should be submitted to the MPCA in writing by 4:30 p.m. on March 4, 2005 to Jim Sullivan, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road N., St. Paul, MN, 55155-4194, or by fax to (651) 297-2343. Comments on the air quality permit should be submitted to Mike Mondloch and comments on the water quality permits to Deb Schumann at the same address or by fax to (651) 296-8717. The MPCA will use comments on the EAW to further evaluate the potential for significant environmental effects from the project, and to decide if an Environmental Impact Statement (a more comprehensive environmental review) is needed. Copies of the Heron Lake BioEnergy ethanol project EAW and draft permits are available for review at: - MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Rd. N. 7 MPCA Web site: www.pca.state.mn.us/news/eaw/index.html - MPCA Marshall office, 1420 E. College Dr. - Heron Lake Public Library, 401 - 9th St. - Marshall-Lyon County Library, 301 W. Lyon St. Copies may also be requested directly from the MPCA by calling (651) 296-7398. For more information about the EAW contact Jim Sullivan at (651) 296-6300. Contacts for the permits are: Air quality, Mike Mondloch, (651) 297-8593; water quality, Deb Schumann, (651) 297-5791. The MPCA toll free/TTY number is (800) 657-3864.