Wellington Microtech, LLC: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Rural Business Cooperative Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBCS), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) in connection with possible impacts related to a project proposed by Wellington Microtech, LLC, of Wellington, Carbon County, Utah. The proposal is for construction of The Proposed Project will consist of the construction and operation of a 3,000 barrel per day (41.2 million gallon per year) biofuel refinery which will produce drop-in renewable diesel fuel, renewable hydrotreated naphtha, and renewable jet fuel. Wellington Microtech’s renewable diesel can replace traditional diesel without blending and without requiring engine modifications. Burning WM’s biofuels in place of petroleum fuels will result in a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed construction will be situated on approximately 46 acres comprised of two parcels identified by the Carbon County Assessor as 02-2215-0002 and 1B-0292-0000. The proposed site is located off Industry Lane, north of West Ridge Road in Wellington, Utah, in an industrialized area and is currently vacant land which has historically been used for agriculture. Wellington Microtech, LLC has submitted an application to RBCS for funding of the proposal.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Campbell, Energy Program Specialist, RBCS, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 205-2421, email @ james.campbell3@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Wellington Microtech will deploy processing technology licensed from Chevron Lummis Global and Applied Research Associates. The patented Hydrothermal Cleanup and Biofuels isoconversion process convert waste oils, fats, and greases into renewable diesel, jet fuel, and naphtha. The process is unique in two key aspects: biofuels isoconversion can handle a very wide and diverse array of feedstocks, including very low-cost feedstocks, such as brown grease and emerging feedstocks such as energy crop oils and algal oils; and produces a fuel that is nearly identical molecularly to fuel produced from petroleum, making it 100% drop-in ready. The facility will be designed to run initially and be commissioned on used cooking oil and distiller’s corn oil, but is also capable of processing plant oils, animal tallows, and brown grease.
True North Environmental Consultants prepared an environmental assessment for the RBCS that describes the project, assesses the proposed project’s environmental impacts, and summarizes as applicable any mitigation measures used to minimize environmental effects. The RBCS has conducted an independent evaluation of the environmental assessment and believes that it accurately assesses the impacts of the proposed project. No significant impacts are expected as a result of the construction of the project.
Questions and comments should be sent to the RBCS at the address provided. The RBCS will accept questions and comments on the environmental assessment for 14 days from the date of publication of this notice.
Any final action by the RBCS related to the proposed project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental review procedures as prescribed by 7 CFR Part 1970, Environmental Policies and Procedures.
A general location map of the proposal is shown below.
Dated: July 14, 2021.
Published in the ETV Newspaper July 14 and July 21, 2021.