EPA data shows Minnesota’s 19 ethanol plants emit less than 5% of state’s top 100 polluters

In Minnesota, the Star Tribune newspaper reports that its analysis of data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program shows the state’s 19 ethanol plants are amongst the top 100 GHG emitters. In 2019, the 29 facilities produced more than 1.7 million tons of GHG emissions, the equivalent to burning 900,000 tons of coal, even if they accounted for less than 5% of the top 100 polluters in the state. Increased corn yields, for example, help to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.