Pataki Coming To Depot Today To Make Renewable Energy Announcement

It looks like Empire Biofuels of Newark has decided the former Seneca Army Depot is the best site for it’s $80 million corn-to-ethanol plant. Governor George Pataki begins his day traveling across New York State with a stop at 10 this morning in Romulus. The Governor’s office says Pataki will “make a major renewable energy announcement” at the former Seneca Army Depot. Empire Biofuels of Newark has proposed building the enthanol plant that would use about 19 million bushels of corn a year to produce 50 million gallons of ethanol, 168,000 tons of distiller’s grains and 121,000 tons of carbon dioxide for the food-processing industry. It is expected to generate about 35 “family-wage” jobs, and investors hope it will attract other businesses. The first choice for the plant was off Routes 5&20 just northeast of Seneca Falls, but Empire Biofuels could not get the full support of the Seneca Falls town Board before it committed to spend upto $500, 000 for an enviromental impact study.