Wisconsin Ag Connection - Residents Challenge Wastewater Permit for Didion Ethanol Plant

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Residents Challenge Wastewater Permit for Didion Ethanol Plant
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/05/2008

A state environmental group has announced that area residents near Cambria are challenging the wastewater discharge permit issued to Didion Ethanol for its failure to comply with state and federal clean water law. According to the Midwest Environmental Advocates, the permit was approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in April, which authorizes Didion to begin discharging up to 210,000 gallons per day of polluted wastewater from its new ethanol facility to a tributary of Duck Creek.

"From the start, we have been very concerned about the willingness of the DNR to ignore the water quality protection needs of Tarrant Lake," said John Domino, a Cambria resident and one of the petitioners. "Tarrant Lake is a local treasure and it gives Cambrians something to really be proud of. The village has spent lots of money restoring this lake and the lake preservation committee just stocked it with 300 five to eight inch large mouth bass about two weeks ago."

Dominio says his group is concerned that Didion's wastewater threatens the future of Tarrant Lake, Duck Creek and its tributaries because Didion's water pollution permit does not sufficiently limit pollutants discharged from the facility, such as zinc, chlorine and arsenic. By law these pollutants must be limited to protect the fish and aquatic life and recreational use of these waters.

Meanwhile, the company disagrees with groups' notions. Didion Spokesperson Joshua Morby told Wisconsin Ag Connection that the plant is more than compliant with the way it discharges wastewater.

"Not only is Didion following all of the rules and regulations set by the DNR, they are also (voluntarily) going above and beyond the state laws," Morby said. "For example, one of the many of the things they are doing is putting temperature limits on the wastewater."

The facility, which is already in production, is expected to produce 40 million gallons of ethanol annually.