Funding Doesn’t Include Proposed Fertilizer Plant
Officials of the proposed Eastern Montana Fertilizer Plant received some negative news this week when the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced funding for eight fertilizer projects in the United States.
The plant, scheduled to be located in the eastern part of Roosevelt County, wasn’t on the funding list.
“It’s not good news,” John Mues of Cyan H2 said on Thursday, Oct. 22.
According to a press release from USDA, the eight selected projects represents more than $1.34 billion in total proposed investment including approximately $573 million in proposed USDA funding to strengthen domestic fertilizer manufacturing, reduce America’s dependence on foreign suppliers and increase long-term fertilizer availability for American farmers.
The eight projects selected included: Talus Ag of Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois and South Dakota; Peace Valley of Florida; PCI Nitrogen of Texas and Oregon; Intrepid Potash of New Mexico: AdvanSix of Virginia; SUL4R-Plus Illinois of Illinois; True Organic Products of California, Oregon and Arizona; and Agriculture Project Holdco of Kansas and Indiana.
Mues said that the letter received from USDA included some misinformation about Cyan H2’s proposal. “We will dispute it,” he said.
The company was hoping for about $1.5 million from USDA. “
“There’s hope but less hope than this morning,” Mues said of the project late Thursday afternoon.
Mues said there’s still more than enough funding available through other paths including partnerships with businesses. He said the USDA funding would had covered only about 10 percent of the costs.
The proposed Eastern Montana Fertilizer Plant will be located near Culbertson. The unapproved draft expects $220 million in sales over a 15-year period. It’s believed that the project would create 2,000 construction jobs at its peak and about 200 operational positions.
The project has received a letter of support from the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, Montana Agriculture Business Association and Montana Grain Growers Association.
