Iowa now has a dozen ethanol plants running with four more factories under construction to make the corn-based fuel. Ground will be broken on yet another plant this week near the western Iowa town of Denison. The plant is designed to process 40-million gallons of ethanol per year. Jack Ryan is spokesman for Amaizing Energy and says the business end of the project is virtually complete. Ryan says much progress is being made at the Crawford County worksite, too. The rail lines have been relocated, the subground is prepared for building the large tanks and the heavy weight areas, and the concrete is being poured. The sewer and water lines are all laid on the site, the electrical lines are almost done and construction of the distillers grain building is about to start. Iowa is the nation’s number-one corn producer but Illinois is the leader in ethanol production. Plants are also under construction now in or near Ashton, West Burlington, Hanlontown and Steamboat Rock. Plants are already operating in: Galva, Coon Rapids, Blairstown, Sioux Center, Hopkinton, Lakota, Hamburg, Marcus, Muscatine, Eddyville, Clinton and Cedar Rapids.
