News Releases for August 2003
August 12, 2003
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Williston Ethanol Plant To Create Quality Jobs, New Wealth
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven and officials from Makad Corp. of Vancouver, Washington, were in Williston today to discuss plans for the construction of a new ethanol plant here.
Makad is planning to build the North Dakota Ethanol Complex, LLC, a new 17-million gallon ethanol production facility, in the Williston Basin Industrial Park. The plant would take 14 months to build with an expected completion date in early 2005. The company wants to start construction in the fall. Items left to be completed are a final environmental assessment of the site and completion of the financial package.
Once operational, the plant would employ between 35-40 people with average salaries from $30,000-$40,000. The project would also generate as many as 400 jobs during the peak of construction.
“Value-added agriculture is one of the five primary sector industries that we’ve targeted to help us expand and diversify our economy and create better paying jobs,” Gov. Hoeven said. “Businesses like the North Dakota Ethanol Complex will both help farmers and create good-paying jobs for people living in the northwestern area of our state. This ethanol plant is a real fit with the value-added agriculture and irrigation we are working to develop in North Dakota.”
Elie G. Makad, chairman and chief executive officer of Makad Corp., said the company already has markets for the North Dakota ethanol, which will be shipped by rail to Washington state for distribution. The plant will use about 6.8 million bushels of corn annually, creating a demand for an additional 51,000 acres of production. In addition, the plant will produce feed byproduct for cattle operations in the Mon-Dak region, which has about one million head of cattle. He said company studies indicate that the economic impact of the project in the Williston area during the first year of operation will be nearly $100 million.
“Again, we emphasize that Governor Hoeven’s aggressive marketing of North Dakota’s opportunities caused us to come here in the first place,” Makad said. “We remain very impressed with the state and local economic development agencies and the commitment of the local government and business communities to bring this ethanol plant to northwestern North Dakota. Mayor Koeser, Tom Rolfstad and the rest of the Williston development team have provided everything we need to make this happen.”
Williston Mayor Ward Koeser said, “This plant fits in with our long-range vision for the region. It is our primary goal to grow higher value crops and process them locally.”
Lee Peterson, commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Commerce, said they worked closely with the City of Williston on the project. The department’s first meeting with Makad officials was in February 2002, followed by company site visits in North Dakota in July 2002.
Peterson said, “We've adopted a real team approach to economic development. Our business developers worked hard to coordinate efforts and resources with the city of Williston and the Williston Area Development Foundation. That strong state and local partnership is moving this project forward. It takes teamwork to drive economic development. We are getting the job done by doing things differently.”
Williston Area Economic Development director Tom Rolfstad said, “This project provides new opportunities for our workforce, offers area farmers a new market for their crops, delivers a new feed base to the feedlots and will also be felt throughout the economy, from oilfield supply and service companies to the motels, restaurants and banks. The impact will be evident not only on Williston’s Main Street but throughout the Mon-Dak region.”
Makad Corp. develops industrial projects in the fields of petro-chemical, electrical power generation, ethanol and fertilizer. Makad Corp. and Monsanto Enviro-Chem Systems, Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Monsanto Company of St. Louis, Missouri) have formed an alliance to develop ethanol production facilities. The alliance is currently developing a similar facility in eastern Oregon.
Last November, Hoeven rolled out the North Dakota Ethanol Production Incentive program, the first in the nation to create a market-based support system for the growing ethanol industry. The program establishes a counter-cyclical financial incentive for the production of ethanol in a newly constructed ethanol production plant. The Legislature passed the program into law in April. Hoeven is also the chairman of the Governors' Ethanol Coalition, a national organization that fosters policies promoting ethanol use and production.
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