Something smells funny in proposed $180 million manure-to-ethanol project in New York, says county farm bureau

In New York, the St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau has opposed a project by Bion Environmental Technologies that would use cattle manure from 84,000 cows to produce ethanol. The Farm Bureau said that there are “too many unanswered questions” regarding the $180 million project proposed for upstate New York. Bion is seeking local and state grants and incentives to assist in the financing of the venture.

Another failed manure-based venture, E3 Biofuels, said that the plant’s shutdown and bankruptcy filing was not the result of its pioneering methane digestion system that provides power to the plant, but in the 25 Mgy ethanol plant. The company’s conversion of manure to power had been considered a model of closed-loop, carbon-mitigating biofuel development. The company has not yet announced plans to resume operations.

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