Growth Energy Responds to Proposed Regulation

Growth Energy has urged the Environmental Protection Agency to suspend its GHG Tailoring Rule until they could cooperatively design an oversight program specific to ethanol producers.

Growth Energy says the proposal will add an additional layer of regulation on ethanol plants. The rule would establish new thresholds for GHGs that define when new or existing industrial facilities. including ethanol plants, would be required to obtain or modify construction and operational air permits.

In response to the public comment on the proposed rule, Growth Energy says that as written the proposal would essentially require every ethanol plant in the country to obtain a Title V permit. But, as Growth Energy pointed out in its comments, operating under that permit on an annual basis would be an extraordinary cost for independently-operated ethanol plants. Growth Energy estimates per plant compliance to the rule could reach over $150,000 annually.

Growth Energy asked that ethanol plants only become applicable for Title V and Prevention of Significant Deterioration programs for GHG emissions if those plants are already subject to those programs for non-GHG pollutants.

source: wallacesfarmer