Chief Ethanol Fuels, Inc.
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PUBLIC NOTICE
Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment
Permitting and Engineering Division
Notice is given to the public, according to Chapter 10 of Nebraska Administrative Code Title 129 - Nebraska Air Quality Regulations, that the Department is proposing to issue an air construction permit to Chief Ethanol Fuels, Inc. – Hastings (FID 58049), an ethanol plant capable of processing approximately 80 million gallons of denatured ethanol annually (Standard Industrial Classification code 2869), and CC Hastings Capture Company, LLC (FID 121646), an adjacent carbon capture facility designed to capture the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation process (Standard Industrial Classification code 4619), located at 4225 East South Street, Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska.
The anticipated change in emissions of regulated air contaminants in tons per year (tpy) due to the proposed permit revision at this facility will be: 46.21 tpy of Particulate Matter (PM); -0.79 tpy of PM ≤ 10 microns (PM10); 0.95 tpy PM ≤ 2.5 microns (PM2.5); 6.81 tpy Volatile Organic Compounds; 5.43*10-2 tpy of Acetaldehyde; and 0.09 tpy total of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP).
All Counties in Nebraska currently meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for those pollutants subject to a NAAQS. There are currently no Counties classified as being in non-attainment with the State Total Reduced Sulfur (TRS) standards. It is the source’s responsibility to ensure no take of threatened or endangered species result from the proposed project at the ethanol plant.
The Department proposes to issue a construction permit with specific conditions, based on Title 129, which allows for the replacement of existing grain handling equipment. This change would increase Chief’s total grain storage from 585,540 bushels to 2,850,780 bushels without increasing the total throughput of grain through the facility. The project additionally would include the replacement of two existing slurry tanks with one larger tank. Finally, the proposed permit would remove specific best management practice conditions for haul roads previously applicable to Chief. The facility would still be required to perform best management practices for the haul roads.
The proposed permit and supporting materials are available Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 through Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 at the NDWEE, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68521 and electronically at https://dee.nebraska.gov. Only comments received by the Department during this period on new and significantly revised conditions to the previous construction permits will be considered. During this period the applicant, or any interested person or group of persons, may request or petition the Director for a public hearing. The request must be in writing and state the nature of the issues to be raised and all arguments and factual grounds supporting their position. If a public hearing is granted by the Director, the hearing will be advertised by public notice at least 30 days prior to the hearing.
Inquiries may be made at (402) 471-2186 or dwee.airquality@nebraska.gov . Individuals requiring special accommodations or alternate formats of materials should notify the NDWEE by calling (402) 471-2186. TDD users should call (800) 833-7352 and ask the relay operator to call the NDWEE at (402) 471-2186. For further information, to submit comments, or request a hearing you may contact the NDWEE by email “dwee.airquality@nebraska.gov” or by mail submitted to the attention of Air Construction Permitting Section Supervisor, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68521.
The NDWEE does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in administration of its programs or activities, and NDWEE does not intimidate or retaliate against any individual or group because they have exercised their rights to participate in or oppose actions protected/prohibited by 40 CFR Parts 5 and 7, or for the purpose of interfering with such rights.
Si necesita traducción de documentos al Español, por favor llame a NDWEE al (402) 471-2186.