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The Logan County Board took action on IBE's requests to rezone
property northwest of Hartsburg from agriculture to manufacturing
(M-2) and add them into the Lincoln/Logan County Enterprise Zone.
The board acted on recommendations from the Logan County Regional
Planning Commission, a county governing body that monitors and
advises on zoning matters, and the Zoning Board of Appeals, another
county governing body that hears citizens' opinions on zoning
matters.
IBE has been informing the county board of their preference to
locate in Logan County for several years and has presented
information numerous times in the past. Their full board was on hand
to answer questions at all three meetings this month.
IBE has option to purchase the 220 acres to build an ethanol
plant. They can now continue their work toward buying the land,
getting construction going and setting up business to produce
ethanol in Logan County.
The company is still in a quiet time and cannot promote interests
in the company.
Both the rezoning and enterprise zone approvals were made
unanimously by a full board with no questions or objections raised
before the vote.
The enterprise zone must still gain approval by other
participants in the program, but no hindrance is anticipated, and
then it will go to the state of Illinois, which manages the program,
for final approval.
The plant that is planned will produce 50 million gallons ethanol
per year. It could produce up to 55 million gallons in a good year
once it is up and running, an IBE representative told the board last
week.
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It is anticipated that it will create a new local market for 18
million bushels of corn each year and raise the profit for area corn
farmers.
It will consume an estimated 80,000 tons of coal annually.
It will supply construction jobs to build the plant and any
future side industry construction that comes to reprocess or harvest
corn or carbon dioxide byproducts.
The plant creates 38-42 full-time jobs.
An estimated 516 support industry jobs will be created in various
areas, such as trucking, service industry, coal mining and others.
It is estimated to generate $1.2 million state and local taxes.
It has been estimated to add $19.6 million to regional household
income annually.
*Stats from John Urbanchuck study, Nov. 3, 2004.
Former board member Dr. David Hepler sent a letter that was read
at the conclusion of last night's meeting. He congratulated the
board for moving forward with the ethanol plant in Logan County and
paid special commendation for Mrs. JoAnne Marlin's (Logan County
administrative assistant) contributions. He wrote: "It takes a most
talented and dedicated person to coordinate the work of several
committees over several years on a project of this magnitude. Her
service to the county board and this project was invaluable."
[Jan
Youngquist]
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