Ethanol worries

By Rob Henderson

I was the Scott City councilman who went on the trip to Malta Bend, Mo., to see the ethanol plant. Two of the city's employees also made the trip, along with several potential investors, and various county officials from both Cape Girardeau and Scott counties.

On the bus ride up, we were told how the proposed Scott City plant would provide lots of money to Scott City schools. Then in the next sentence we were told of the vast federal, state and local grants the company was working on, involving state job grants for bringing the 30 or so jobs and 10 to 12 years of tax abatement.

I brought up the 52-cent federal tax credit that goes along with every gallon of ethanol produced. I also asked why we were going to a plant that had a $17 million investment in one of our proposed plants. The $17 million was denied, but we were not told what the real number was. Why? This made me skeptical. Why hide this information?

I do not think you can get an accurate assessment of the day-to-day operations of any plant when the plant has a vested interest in putting on a good show. There was also a board meeting that morning at the plant. I believe we were looking at the plant on its cleanest day.

When we arrived at the plant, we sat in the boardroom and were told by local officials and a teacher how wonderful the plant was for the 249 residents of Malta Bend and how the plant provided opportunities for the 120 K-12 students. This teacher also operates a five-family farm and sells corn to the plant.

We were told that the plant began operation Feb. 14, 2005, and was already planning on doubling capacity to more than 100 million gallons a year. We were told that the company was excited about the opportunities that Scott City had to offer: two railroads instead of one, barge capabilities to buy corn from up the Ohio and Mississippi rivers (wait a minute -- I thought they said they were going to buy from local farmers), all the water they need (3.8 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol), close to a major interstate. If the plant is already doubling the size at Malta Bend, just how long will it take to double the size of the Scott City plant? There was no answer to that question.

We were also told by the plant manager that the EPA and Missouri Department of Natural Resources could log in to the emission reports 24 hours a day. Being the skeptic I am, I called the DNR and EPA. No such system is in place at any plant in Missouri. I also called the plant to ask for some clarification on the issue. I was called back, but was not home. I called back and have not heard anything today.

I will say that the Malta Bend plant is clean. Practically every square foot of indoor concrete was still wet from the washing it received before we arrived. The EPA is looking into providing the emissions data as well as the output of the plant before, during and after our visit. It would also be interesting to see what the payroll was for weeks prior to and after the visit.

I went to three existing plants in Illinois: Decatur, Peoria and Pekin. Let me say that if Malta Bend was a white plant, these three would be black. Rotten wet distillers grain sat open on the concrete with brown ooze running off to collect in pools. The smell was so strong and nauseating it made me cough and heave. The chemicals also irritated my eyes, made it difficult to breathe and caused my heart to race.

Before we left for this trip, we both agreed that if we found this industry to be as clean and nonpolluting as some say, we would rescind our viewpoint and endorse them.

Our choice of plants was criticized by some, because of their age. We chose these because of their proximity to Scott City as well as the size. For instance, Decatur has three plants making 270 million gallons a year, still shy of Scott County's goal.

What started out as a Hiram Walker distillery in the 1800s is not the plant you see today in Peoria. In fact, the brick warehouses to the south are still standing. The plant has been added on to on the north. The EPA is checking for me as to the permits and the equipment that these plants utilize. All three plants meet federal EPA emission requirements.

All in all we drove 620 miles that day. I urge anyone who has a concern, pro or con, to take the 297-mile drive to Malta Bend and the 206-mile drive to Decatur.

We are also getting the necessary information from SEERS Institute as well as the Illinois Department of Health. The results will be examined by several Ph.D.s and be peer reviewed.

A few weeks ago, most of the residents of Cape Girardeau and Scott City thought there were only one or two plants trying to be built in the area. Here are the latest numbers.

Ethanex, 134 million gallons nameplate.

Riverside, 65 million gallons nameplate.

Renewable, 100 million gallons nameplate.

Bootheel, 130 million gallons nameplate.

Possibly another as Ethanex and SEMO Milling have split with SEMO Milling "vigorously pursuing a plant on its own."

Nameplate is the minimum output accepted by the plant from the engineering and construction companies. Plants typically produce 115 percent to 120 percent above nameplate. Going by current permits, we are looking at 429 million gallons nameplate with actual output at roughly 500 to 515 million gallons per year.

This industry cannot operate without the huge federal subsidies and the artificial demand from state and federal government. I would like to see Congress pass a 35-to-40-mpg minimum on 2010 and later cars. Conservation is the best option.

All I ever wanted to come of this issue is to get the community involved and to educate itself on what we have on the way. I urge you all to ask the questions and get involved. Some have said that we as a city do not have the authority to keep these plants from moving in to our community. The CEO of the Malta Bend plant said that it was a toss-up between Malta Bend and another town. One of the residents in the other town said that he would do everything in his power to stop the plant. They chose Malta Bend. Every voice is heard and discussed in the boardrooms and most definitely influences decisions and outcomes.

Rob Henderson is a Scott City councilman.