EPA Biofuels Team Develops Manual Providing Ethanol Facility Guidance
Ethanol
made from corn is the most common renewable fuel used by motor vehicles
in the United States. More than five billion gallons were blended with
gasoline in 2006, and with all the new ethanol facilities either built
or planned, those billions will soon be a drop in the bucket as the
industry gains increasing steam, especially in the Midwest. Because of
such growth--in the plants and supporting infrastructure--EPA Region 7
has developed a user-friendly manual that identifies environmental
regulatory rules and requirements for construction and operation of
ethanol production facilities.
Region 7, which serves Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine
tribal nations, intends the manual to serve as a road map of federal
environmental information, such as requirements that apply to air,
water, hazardous waste, accident prevention, and release reporting. A
biofuels team of engineers, scientists, and environmental protection
specialists developed the guide after seeking input from a variety of
stakeholders. It includes a contact directory of key federal and state
officials.
The manual is available at the Region 7 Agriculture page, http://www.epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture,
which also includes links to other relevant articles, as well as
transcribed interviews with EPA officials. The agency says its staff
members are available to answer questions about the applicability of
environmental requirements to renewable fuel facilities.