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Budi

(15,325 posts)
Tue Feb 8, 2022, 06:53 PM Feb 2022

Ethanol Plant to SuperFund Site: " Nebraska approved unprecedented use of pesticide-laden seed corn"

https://www.ketv.com/article/documents-show-nebraska-approved-pesticide-laden-seed-corn/39013743

MEAD, Neb. —
The state of Nebraska knew about AltEn’s plans to use pesticide-treated seed corn to create ethanol years ago, and even signed off on a permit to allow it 10 years ago.

The plant in Mead, Nebraska, was shut down one year ago, after several environmental violations surrounding pesticide-laden water and corn byproduct created by the plant.


“It’s a black eye for the ethanol industry,” said Al Davis, former state senator and Nebraska lobbyist for the Sierra Club. Davis also heads an environmental group pressing for transparency in the AltEn disaster.

“We know it’s toxic. We need it out of Nebraska
,” said Davis.


The Perivallon Group came across documents from 2012 in the state’s own public records portal indicating the Department of Environmental Quality approved the plan under then-Gov. Dave Heineman. The group is disappointed and frustrated at the findings because the state has always maintained they didn’t know treated seed corn was being used at the plant until 2015.

“I’m shocked that it happened and our state government let it happen,”
said Davis.


There are 16 acres of toxic corn by-product on AltEn’s land, about 30 miles west of Omaha. It’s enough to fill a football stadium 150 feet tall. There are also lagoons and retention ponds with 173,000,000 gallons of chemically tainted water and sludge. Over the years, residents have complained of foul odors, health issues and runoff from the property.

A series of documents in 2012 show the idea to use seed corn unfolding as AltEn prepared to open the ethanol plant. In June of 2012, the project engineer sent DEQ a letter, floating the idea. Eleven days later, they asked the state for a permit because this type of corn byproduct was too toxic to feed to animals. Standard ethanol plants use field corn to create the product.

The seed companies saw an opportunity to dump a waste product on our citizens and our state government was gullible enough to let them do it,” said Davis.
MORE..

Also, Article from Jan 2022:
Nebraska demands long-term plan for hazardous waste pile at Mead's AltEn site
Chemicals 'will percolate slowly into the groundwater' under proposed plan for Mead's AltEn site

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-long-term-plan-alten-mead-hazardous-waste-pile/38887865#

Plan treats Nebraska ethanol plant like EPA Superfund Site
More than 16 acres of contaminated corn waste will be sprayed with a mixture of clay, cement and fiber called Posi-shell, to create a cover that will hold the contaminated corn remnants in place for up to 10 years

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-ethanol-plant-epa-superfund-site/38797437

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