Finger Lakes Times
dchampagne@fltimes.com


SENECA FALLS — Local residents have almost three weeks to comment on Empire Biofuel’s plans for addressing environmental concerns related to its proposed ethanol plant.

The firm’s Environmental Impact Statement, revised from a Sept. 22 workshop meeting, was filed with the town Tuesday, starting the clock on a 20-day comment period. The report was expected to be posted by today on the town/village Web site: www.senecafalls.com.

A final scope document is expected to be adopted by the Town Board Nov. 1. The draft is also on file with the town clerk and available for public review at the town offices at 31 Fall St.

At a Town Board meeting last night, Councilwoman Lucille Cook repeated observations she made last month when she and two engineers visited five ethanol plants in three states: two each in Wisconsin and Minnesota and one in Iowa. She again raised the odor issue, which is the main concern of Seneca Falls residents.

She said she and the engineers detected strong odors from a Stanley, Wis., plant up to three miles away and that she noticed a “really weird” taste in her mouth while near all five plants.

Cook agreed odor wasn’t detected at all the plants but said they weren’t all fully operational during the visits. She also said Stanley, Wis., residents near the Ace Ethanol Plant complained about traffic and about corn mash being spilled onto the road, creating potentially hazardous, slippery driving situations.

“Lucille has done a good job, but I want to clarify a few things,” said Kent McManus, a senior associate with the environmental consulting firm Malcolm Pirnie of Buffalo, who noted the visited plants are designed a lot differently than the one proposed by Empire Biofuels of Newark.

He said the equipment, particularly thermal oxidizers, doesn’t capture all of the odors at the mentioned plants because their remote locations don’t warrant concern.

“Empire is proposing to capture all those odors,” he said. “Thermal oxidizers are one of the most effective ways of treating odors,” if all are captured.

Councilman Thomas David pointed out Seneca Falls has a tourism-based economy and also expressed a concern about odors, suggesting the proposed Empire Biofuels location off Auburn Road, just east of the village, may be too close to the community.

Empire Biofuels, composed of 18 farmers and agribusiness people from Central and Western New York, plans to build a corn-to-ethanol plant that would annually produce 50 million gallons of ethanol as an alternative fuel source.

The plant would employ about 35 people in family-wage jobs and generate about $90 million in annual sales and $2 million in annual tax and fee revenues.

David said he believes there are opportunities for an ethanol plant in Seneca County, but he suggested the former Seneca Army Depot may be a better location. He noted access to it will be improved with a planned Route 414 bypass around the southern part of the village of Waterloo.

“I think the plant has great viability, but I don’t think [Seneca Falls] is the best location,” David said.

McManus said alternate sites will be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement, which is part of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The final impact statement is due May 2. If approved, plant construction could begin shortly afterward.

Town Supervisor Peter Same said he believes all the issues will be addressed as the process unfolds.