Opposition forms to Scott County plant

A rural Scott City man is organizing resistance against Scott County's third proposed ethanol plant.

Monty Keesee, who lives on County Road 307 near the Southeast Missouri Port Authority, has written to county officials and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson to oppose plans for a plant that may be built a quarter-mile from his home near the port. Keesee says he's worried about the environmental impact from the plant being so close to his and other homes.

"I'm all for alternative fuels, but you can't do it at the expense of people who have been living in an area for generations," Keesee said Friday.

The possible site of the proposed plant is on land owned by Tower Rock Stone Co. near the port, Keesee said. He also named Russ Mothershead of Benton, Mo., as someone heading up the project. Keesee suspects the plant will be near the intersection of county roads 307 and 308. Mothershead declined to comment.

Riverside Energy LLC has filed a notice of securities sale with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, with the same address as Midwest Agri Chemico Inc., a company owned by Mothershead.

Keesee said he knows the company is exploring construction of a plant in the area because his father, Robert Keesee, was approached by representatives of the company to purchase land he owns.

The plant would be the third planned for Scott County. Another plant is planned in Sikeston's industrial park by Bootheel Agri-Energy LLC, a local consortium. The other plant in the works is a joint venture between SEMO Milling LLC and Kansas-based Ethanex Energy at the SEMO Port.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources approved an air quality permit for the Sikeston plant March 29.

Letter

Ethanex and SEMO Milling are still in negotiations over the joint venture, said SEMO Port finance manager Beverly Miller. An air quality permit for the plant has not yet been approved.

Several of Keesee's neighbors have signed on to a letter he sent to government officials in opposition of the plant: family members Bobby, Robert and Bill Keesee; Chris Franck, Jay Seabaugh, Darlene Schoen and Lou Evans. In the letter Keesee cites the emissions from ethanol plants as a key reason for his opposition, as well as the smell the plant may give off. Keesee said his research into the issue has found people around the country living near ethanol plants who say their quality of life has diminished due to the plant.

The process of creating ethanol releases harmful volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants that can be harmful to human health as well as greenhouse gases. Wastewater from ethanol plants can also be harmful if released untreated into the environment.

In recent years plants in Iowa, a state on the forefront of ethanol production, have come under scrutiny from the EPA and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for practices that caused pollution and environmental degradation. The plants are also known to produce an odor that some find unpleasant.

Kevin Baskins, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said those problems mainly resulted from a rapidly growing industry in its early stages, with many plants not getting the required permits for construction and operation.

"Actually, the air quality issues have been more not getting the permits right," Baskins said.

Kendall Hale, a Missouri DNR employee who reviews new pollution sources, said the state and federal governments' emissions standards are meant to protect public and environmental health. But just because a plant will meet those standards doesn't necessarily mean a permit application will be approved.

In some areas where ethanol plants have been built residents have complained, primarily about the smell from the plant. But in Malta Bend, Mo., residents interviewed by the Southeast Missourian raved about their plant.

Little control

Scott County Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said he's wants to address Keesee's concerns. Burger said he has faith in the permitting process and the government standards set out to protect people and the environment.

"The DNR and EPA are in place to make sure those things don't happen," Burger said. He said any time a new industry moves into an area, questions will arise as to the health and environmental impacts. But ethanol is an important industry for the county, and Burger said he believes plant developers want to be "good neighbors" and be "an asset ... not an eyesore."

The county government has little control over ethanol plant location, since Scott County has no zoning laws to prevent such industries from locating near residential property, Burger said.

But Keesee questions Burger's impartiality on the ethanol issue, as Burger has invested in the proposed Sikeston plant, as has former Scott County Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel. Both Priggel and Burger said no business regarding the Sikeston plant has come before the county commission. County Clerk Rita Milam said that as far as she can remember Burger and Priggel are correct.

Milam said Priggel was careful about preventing a conflict of interest, and the county commission recently refused to write a letter of support for state incentives for the plant because of Burger's investment.

Scott City Mayor Tim Porch said he has an investment in the proposed Riverside Energy plant. Porch said he isn't concerned about proposed plant in the Scott City area reducing the quality of life for those living in the city.

"They're very clean operations," Porch said.

Industry

Porch said he understands Keesee's concerns somewhat, but the area Keesee lives in, on a ridge overlooking the Mississippi, will eventually be developed for industrial purposes.

"When you build that close to the port ... you're taking those chances," Porch said.

Regardless of whether the county has any power to regulate the location of the plant, Keesee said he'll continue to fight.

"The bottom line is ... if these guys want to come in, they should come and buy every resident out in the area and put an industrial park in," Keesee said.

Keesee said he'll use all the financial and other resources he has to make sure the plant doesn't locate in his area.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182