Iowa Fertilizer Company is a little closer to being able to build a production plant in northern Lee County.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has granted the company 23 different construction permits related to air quality on Friday, Oct. 26.
Environmental Engineer Chris Roling says the permits carry a special stipulation, which is not common among DNR-related construction permits.
“Because it is such a large project, they have to put in best available control technology,” says Roling, “which means more stringent limits. It also means more record-keeping, monitoring and stack-testing.”
Roling says the special stipulation is also related to the fertilizer that will be produced at the plant.
He says the information collected during the permitting process will soon be available online or at the Burlington Public Library and Fort Madison Public Library.
That includes a roughly 45-page document in response to the public comments provided during a meeting in Burlington and an extended comment period.
Roling says most of the questions and comments concerned health issues and the monitoring process. He says the goal of the responses was to say that the permits meet all state and federal regulations.
Roling says these permits are only good through construction. He says a separate air-quality, operating permit will be needed once the plant is up and running.
