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Representatives of Gold-Eagle Cooperative approached the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors during its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 13 to present a proposal for a 100 million gallon ethanol plant to be built one mile east of Wesley on Highway 18.
The site was chosen over several other proposed sites. It is flanked by Highway 18 on the north, old 18 on the south and Ames Road on the east, and it offers access to rail, needed utilities and adequate water supple. While this was an informational item on the agenda, Gold-Eagle’s representatives were requesting consideration of rezoning the proposed site for industry, offering a 20 year tax abatement and resolutions to support Gold-Eagle in its pursuit of various grants and financial assistance programs.
One of the programs looked at is called the HQJC — or high quality job creation program. It means that each wage-earning position at the proposed plant would make a minimum of $19.81 per hour, receive 80 percent of standard medical and dental insurance and offer a pension and profit sharing plan.
Kathy Showalter of Planscape Partners was in charge of presenting the proposed plant.
“In 25 years the United States has grown from producing 2 to 3-million gallons of ethanol in the 1970s to now more than 4.4 billion gallons are being produced,” stated Showalter. “Yet we’re still importing ethanol to cover demand and needed reserves.”
Gold-Eagle built the 40 million-gallon ethanol plant in Goldfield, and Showalter brought examples of the economic impact to Goldfield.
Assessed valuation of property in Goldfield had gone from $175,200 in 2003 to more than $241,600 in 2005 — an increase in taxable revenue of $3,000 for the town with a 2000 census population of less than 700 people.
According to Maureen Elbert, executive director of the Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation, Kossuth County is set to be a leader in innovative renewable energy production.
“If you look at Kossuth County and the impact this is going to have on our area — the high quality jobs — my gosh, it’s just fabulous we’re going to be able to have this in our area,” she explained. “This would give us two major ethanol plants plus the Hydrogen Engine Center.”
The proposed plant would use new technology in both the coal firing process and the fermentation process, reducing odor and emissions. The biggest emission would be water vapor, which would be invisible when the weather is above 50 degrees.
“This would be the first modern coal burning plant in the nation,” explained Showalter. The byproduct of burning coal in the modern facility would be an ash that can be trucked out to a concrete plant to be used in making concrete.
“It looks like talcum powder when we are done with it,” Showalter stated.
According to the proposal, the plant would employ 45 people and could create more than 100 outside support jobs.
“We already have a strong presence and investment in Kossuth County,” explained Brad Davis, general manager of Gold-Eagle Cooperative.
Gold-Eagle, or its partners, owns grain elevators in Titonka, Wesley, Woden, Hutchins and Corwith.
“The qualifications for future employees are simple,” added Davis. “We have an extensive training program, and with the close proximity of the Goldfield plant we can offer hands-on training for anyone with a ‘can-do’ attitude who wants to better themselves and work in the ethanol industry.”
Gold-Eagle also was requesting that the county improve the roadway leading into the plant site to help improve traffic flow.
According to Davis, an equity drive will be started to raise money for the plant starting in late November or early December. Dirt work could start as early as this fall while concrete would start late next summer with the goal for the plant to be up and running by late 2008.
As it was an informational item only, the board of supervisors agreed to a special meeting on Monday, June 19 at 9 a.m. to entertain a formal proposal from Gold-Eagle.
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