Garretson Weekly

Sherman residents tour ethanol plant
By Brent Zell
Posted online: January 23, 2007

Last Monday, several Sherman residents went on a field trip.
The destination was Granite Falls, Minn., to visit the Granite Falls Ethanol Plant and learn more about the type of facility that could become a part of Sherman. A plot of land approximately 1 mile from the city is still in the running to be the site of Buffalo Ridge Energy’s proposed ethanol plant.
In an interview Sunday with the Weekly, Buffalo Ridge Energy board chairman Greg Van Zanten, who also participated in the Granite Falls trip, said that while testing for an adequate water supply and other geographical information had yet to be completed, Sherman would probably be the best candidate right now of the group of sites the group is considering.
“Barring any surprises or anything, that would be the site we’d settle on,” said Van Zanten.
The selection of the site would probably come within the next few weeks, he added. The plant – which will produce about 50 millions gallons of ethanol per year and create about 35 on-site jobs – is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2008.
At Granite Falls, the tour group went through a plant that has been operational since November 2005 and, according to MNcorn.org, was expected to have a similar annual output to Buffalo Ridge’s proposed facility.
The group was told about the process and technology of ethanol production, said Sherman town clerk Ann Thiel, and also had some concerns of the city’s citizens addressed.
Both Thiel and Robin Berg, Sherman town board president, said that fears of strong odors that have been associated with ethanol plants in the past were alleviated at Granite Falls, as little if any smell was noticed. Both said any odor was similar to that of a bakery. Berg said that the plant did not come off as noisy.
However, a big concern that most Sherman residents have had was more traffic. The proposed plant would require dozens of trucks and other vehicles going through the Sherman area, as well as increased train activity. Berg said that the vast majority if not all of the trucks would be coming and going from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Thiel said that the Granite Falls people stated that the new plant has not made a significant difference in traffic. However, Granite Falls is at the intersection of two highways and already had significant truck traffic.
“In Sherman, we have maybe a dozen trucks a day, if even that,” said Thiel.
Berg said she felt more positive about the proposed plant after the tour, but understood why people wouldn’t want one of the plants right next to their house. Thiel had been undecided leaning in opposition to the plant before the tour. Afterwards, her opinion had “moderately changed” to be in favor of a plant near Sherman, but that she was still “not jumping through hoops or anything about it.”
Joining the Sherman residents and Van Zanten on the tour was Minnehaha County Commissioner Jeff Barth, Minnehaha County Economic Development Association executive director Jeff Eckhoff and Garretson Mayor Gloria Sanders.

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