SOUTHERN ILLINOIS EYES ETHANOL PLANT

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Between 200 and 300 acres somewhere in Jackson County could become the future home of an ethanol plant and 75 jobs, regional planners say.

The Jackson-Union Counties Regional Port District is negotiating to buy the reclaimed mine land, but won't identify the owner.

Last September, a senior official for one of the nation's largest ethanol producers toured a couple of potential sites in the county along the Mississippi River for a new plant.

Pekin Energy Co. is looking at sites in Southern Illinois and other areas where it might be possible to build a plant to produce ethanol, a corn-based fuel additive intended to reduce air pollution.

Potentially, a new plant could employ up to 75 people.

"We're still working with Pekin Energy," said Jim Sneed, port district executive director. "If Pekin doesn't go ahead and do this, we will probably go to a much smaller degree."