Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Technical Contact: Kevin Kain, 651-296-7432 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Rochester, Minn. -- The owners of Heartland Energy and Recycling, a proposed tire-derived fuel plant, have officially withdrawn their air permit application for the Preston, Minn. site. In a letter dated Mar. 7, 2005, and received at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) on Mar. 9, 2005, the proposers state the following: "On this date, March 7, 2005, we are withdrawing our air permit application for the proposed Heartland Energy and Recycling site in Preston, MN." Withdrawal of the air permit application halts the scoping process for the Environmental Impact Statement ordered by the MPCA Citizens' Board in January. MPCA staff will cease working on the scoping document and all other matters related to the proposed Preston facility. MPCA Commissioner Sheryl Corrigan states, "It is our agency's responsibility to review project proposals and fully assess them relative to existing state and federal environmental rules and regulations. We take this charge very seriously, and our project team showed commendable dedication and professionalism throughout the review process. The agency will move forward with appreciation for the experiences gained working on the Heartland project." The MPCA has received no indication of another possible site for this or any other tire-derived fuel facility. Any proposal for such a facility would be subject to all applicable environmental review and permitting requirements. For additional information visit the MPCA Web site at:/hot/heartlandenergy.html