VeraSun Energy has decided not to build an ethanol plant just outside the town of Milford, according to Northern District County Commissioner Brad Jackson.
"I received word over the weekend that VeraSun is evaluating several sites for ethanol production including Milford. They're looking at overall community support, local corn supply, transportation, utilities and other fascets. They've simply found other sites more suitable for their facility."
Jackson wouldn't say who told him this news. "A person I consider reliable called and said they have decided against the Milford location.Jackson said he was surprised by the decision. He met with VeraSun representatives last week.
"Honestly, I was still undecided. There were a lot of facts for and against it that made a lot of sense," he said this morning. "I wasn't going to make a final determination until they applied to the BZA. Obviously that never happened,
"At the last meeting I had with them, I suggested they have a public meeting and present the facts to get people's reaction."
The options to purchase about 230 acres north of Milford near the intersection of Old 15 and CR 1350N expire May 1. The property has direct access to north-south and east-west railway lines and is close to Ind. 15.
It also is close to 600 Milford residents and an elementary school. Plant traffic would undoubtedly have traveled through town and along the main east-west route to Syracuse
A group calling themselves Northern Lakes Area Concerned Citizens Association gathered facts about ethanol production.
Members of the citizen's group regularily attended Milford and Syracuse town council meetings as well as county commissioner meetings, voicing their objections about the plant's location.
NLCCA chairman Bill Appenzeller said in November, "We are not anti-ethanol, we are not anti-farmer. We are just against the proposed site. We have a valid case against this ethanol plant just based on health issues. We're working as a community to have our voice heard."
