EPA hits Minn. ethanol firm with $137K fine

A Twin Cities ethanol company will pay $136,500 in EPA penalties for deficiencies in its plans for handling of hazardous chemicals related to ethanol production.

The chemicals include gasoline and ammonia used in ethanol production. The EPA found deficiencies in the company's plans for use and storage of the chemicals at its ethanol plants in Huron and Aberdeen, S.D. The company also failed to properly file reports related to chemicals at the facilities.

The EPA's David Cobb said the company has cooperated with regulators.

"They have 180 days to come into compliance based on this consent agreement," said Cobb. "They've come into compliance with most of it already. So, they've been very cooperative and they've been working pretty immediately to correct these issues."

Advanced BioEnergy officials were not available for comment. The problems were found during an EPA inspection of the plants in January 2012.

Advance BioEnergy is not the only company to be hit with EPA enforcement actions. The agency cited ethanol plants in Wyoming and Colorado for similar violations within the last year.

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