US BioEnergy expected to be pushing dirt around its ethanol plant construction site this fall. Instead the developer is pushing paperwork through state agencies.

Comments in response to a state environmental review, from nearby residents, Mankato officials and others questioned the quantity of water required to produce ethanol as well as possible pollution of Mankato’s drinking water.

Company officials say neither is an issue.

A review of the project by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has delayed the project, said Bruce Boyce, Waseca County coordinator. Plans for the ethanol plant to be built just east of Janesville had been delayed earlier by acquisition of some of the land by eminent domain.

“The project is on hold,” said Boyce, noting the county can not rezone the land or issue any permits until a decision is made on the environmental review.

The MPCA received 13 comment letters and two letters requesting an Environmental Impact Statement during the recent comment period, noted Kelly Garvey, the agency’s project manager.

Because of the two letters requesting an EIS, the Citizens Board will hear testimony about the project Dec. 19, Garvey said.

Ground water

The two letters requesting an EIS came from Nancy Prehn, who was defeated in the recent election for Waseca County commissioner, and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, a nonprofit environmental group based in St. Paul.

“The common theme of the comments we received was about the ground water,” Garvey said, summarizing the contents of the letters.

The comments from Prehn questioned whether the effects of natural gas storage in the same aquifer had been studied.

Other people living near the US BioEnergy site questioned whether the large amount of water needed to produce ethanol would cause a shortage in their water supply.

The one-week testing conducted in September at two wells drilled on the site pumped 950 gallons of water per minute. One neighbor noted that after the test, the water in their well fell 5 feet.

“There are ample amounts of water in the aquifer,” said Bernie Bowles, US BioEnergy director of engineering. He noted the company followed strict DNR regulations during its one-week testing.

Nitrate concerns