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EPA Region 7 Announces Rollout of Environmental Manual for Ethanol Facilities

Release Date: 11/15/2007
Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Nov. 15, 2007) - In the Midwest where ethanol plants are being planned in every direction, 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 Administrator John B. Askew said, "We are taking steps to provide useful tools to help ethanol facilities comply with environmental regulations. With the accelerated growth in the renewable fuels industry, EPA wants to work with the ethanol industry to ensure that facilities are in compliance with rules that protect public health and the environment. EPA is addressing our nation's growing energy demand in a way that supports our goals for a clean environment, supports farmers and rural America, and supports greater energy security."

The Midwestern states are active on America's renewable fuels frontier. Through the long-term efforts of the agricultural and ethanol community, rural residents are seeing an ever-increasing growth in the construction of ethanol plans and the supporting infrastructure.

The manual serves as a road map of federal environmental information, such as requirements that apply to air, water, hazardous waste, and accident prevention and release reporting.

A contact directory of key federal and state officials is included in the manual. EPA Region 7 staff members are available to answer questions about the applicability of environmental requirements to renewable fuel facilities. (See Appendix A.)

An EPA Region 7 biofuels team of engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists developed this manual after seeking input from a variety of stakeholders.

Renewable fuels in general, and ethanol in particular, have been important in our nation's transportation fuel supply for many years. Ethanol made from corn is the most common renewable fuel used by motor vehicles in the United States. More than 5 billion gallons were blended with gasoline in 2006.

EPA's goal is to work with this industry to ensure that human health and the environment are protected.

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The ethanol manual is available at the following Web site:
https://www.epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture/