In December 2009, Enerkem was granted $50m in funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for its Pontotoc, Mississippi biorefinery project.
As a condition of the funding, Enerkem needed to fulfill National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.
Following the assessment, DOE issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which gives Enerkem the green light to proceed with the project without the need for additional federal environmental assessment.
Enerkem president and CEO Vincent Chornet said that the issuance of a FONSI from the US DOE confirms the positive environmental impact that this plant will have, while increasing energy security.
Construction work for Enerkem’s Mississippi plant is expected to begin in 2011.
