Ethanol Focus of Final Congressional Event

August 24, 2001

A three-day tour of St. Louis area agriculture hosted by the St. Louis Agri-Business Club for congressional representatives wrapped up earlier this week with a presentation on ethanol and the national pilot plant to be built in Edwardsville. Paul Bertels, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) director of production and stewardship, chaired the committee that organized and conducted the tour, which included a tour of NCGA Corn Board member Greg Guenther's Belleville, IL, farm and a barge tour of the Mississippi.

The presentation included talks by industry representatives and concluded with a presentation by Dr. Brian Donnelly, executive director of University Park on the campus of Southern Illinois University (SIU), Edwardsville. Donnelly discussed the ethanol pilot plant that is to be constructed at SIU. "Corn growers are concerned about the future of ethanol," said Donnelly. "This pilot plant will enable researchers and industries to test ethanol-related projects so we can get good information out there."

Donnelly said the plant is an example of bi-partisan teamwork, with Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) helping initiate the plant project started while a member of the House and then-U.S Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) picking up where Durbin left off.

"This project was strongly supported and allowed at SIU due to the contributions made to both agricultural economy and the environment," Donnelly said.

The plant will cost an estimated $18 million, with $6.5 million of that provided by the state of Illinois. Funding for plant operation will be unique in that researchers and industry will pay a fee per day to study their projects.

The plant, which is expected to produce approximately 500 gallons of ethanol per day and 50,000 gallons per year, is expected to be fully operational in January 2003. Construction is scheduled to begin in late November.

"This kind of research doesn't just affect industry, it affects consumers directly," said Donnelly. "With this plant and other ethanol research projects in the works, we expect to actually lower gas prices in the next few years."