CADIZ, Ohio – Harrison Ethanol LLC finalized its purchase Sept. 30 of 276 acres of land south of Cadiz.
“The land transfer was very complicated,” said Harrison County Commissioner Phil Madzia. “The site consists of nine parcels of land that were assembled to make a single construction site.”
Long process. Phil Cunningham, one of Harrison Ethanol creators, said it took eight months to meet all of the requirements leading up to acquisition of the site. Cunningham is a native of Harrison County who now lives in Delaware County, but still farms in his home county.
The group was approved for the purchase of the property Jan. 17, 2005, and executed the land purchase contract Jan. 25.
The USDA, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Historical Preservation Office, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources had to complete individual administrative reviews before the land transfer could be finalized.
About the facility. Harrison Ethanol LLC proposes to build a corn-based ethanol facility designed to produce 20 million gallons of fuel grade ethanol annually as well as human foods and animal feeds.
According to company officials, Harrison Ethanol will consume 9 million bushels of corn, with a base purchased by Coshocton Grain Company from local farmers and additional corn to be shipped by rail into the facility.
When completed, Harrison Ethanol will employ 107 people on site and will directly contract an additional 60 truck driving jobs.
The project represents a $68 million capital investment in Appalachian Ohio.
Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as construction funds are released from escrow, according to a company statement.
Harrison Ethanol’s original “closed loop” ethanol production plan was first unveiled in early 2003.
Related stories:
Ethanol ball rolling: Coshocton plant gets permit, others working (9/22/05)
No ethanol: What’s holding Ohio back? (2/17/2005)
Ethanol planners aren’t giving up (2/17/2005)
Ashtabula Co. ethanol plant idea scrapped; idea reborn in Coshocton (4/1/2004)
