Proposed Minnesota bill would create equal footing for biorefineries

In Minnesota, a proposed bill would create equal footing for biorefineries with biofuels plants, eliminating the need for an EIS to secure permitting. Currently ethanol, biobutanol and cellulosic biofuel factories producing less than 125 million gallons per year are exempt from the EIS requirement, and the proposed legislation would provide the same exemption for any new facility producing less than 400,000 tons of chemicals a year, as long as it was located outside the metro area that spans seven counties.