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More information on proposed Ethanol Plant
Representatives from Cilion, Inc. held an informational meeting about the $80 million ethanol plant that they plan to construct at the CRC industrial site located on Rt. 5 west in the Town of Caledonia. Several buildings will comprise the facility on 14 acres of land. If approved and constructed, the ethanol plant is expected to produce about 36 new jobs. Cilion, Inc. Executive Vice-President Ejnar Knudsen, CRC President Les Cole and CRC Director of Business Development Matt Cole hosted the informational meeting as a way of answering the public’s questions and concerns about the ethanol production process and the proposed facility in Caledonia. Spokespersons from other agencies were also on hand to provide important facts about the project. Patrick Rountree, executive director of the Livingston County Industrial Development Agency was on hand to provide the figures on the increased tax revenue that the project would provide to the Town of Caledonia, the Caledonia Fire District, the Caledonia-Mumford School District and Livingston County. Rountree explained that as an alternate fuel, ethanol projects are eligible for similar benefits as those developed in an Empire Zone. If the Cilion project is approved through the State Environmental Quality Review and the local permit process and is constructed, the estimated total tax revenue for the first year is projected to be between $719,000 - $897,000. If the project completes the approval process, Rountree says it would be a good project for Caledonia, Livingston County and regional farmers. The proposed Cilion plant not only produces the gasoline-stretching product ethanol, its by-product, animal feed, will benefit local farmers. Rountree said that the county looks to attract companies that produce jobs connected with the food industry, since those are the types of jobs that are less likely to be exported overseas. Since ethanol is produced through a process using corn, it’s well suited for the agriculturally rich Livingston County. "We focus on projects that will stay put here. We can’t project the future, but we’re doing what we can to stretch petroleum products," commented Rountree concerning the long-term viability of an ethanol production facility. The Caledonia-Mumford Central School District is projected to receive between $479,000 and $599,000 in tax revenue in the first year of the facility's production. Superintendent of Schools David V. Dinolfo says an increase in the tax base always has a positive impact on the tax burden to individual property owners. In other words, if the project is approved and constructed, taxpayers can expect some relief in their school tax bills. The Town of Caledonia would receive an additional $85,000 to $105,000 in the first year. Supervisor Dan Pangrazio says this is a win-win project for everybody, the town, school and county. "This is a good project for the town. It’s a plus to the community and the town tax base. More important, it’s good for the environment," Pangrazio commented.
Click on photos below to enlarge …
Renderings of proposed Ethanol Plant
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