Montana Renewables produces biofuels from products like beef tallow, corn, canola and camelina oils. That process generates tens of thousands of gallons of wastewater daily. Currently, that wastewater is disposed of out of state, but the company is now planning to treat the water on site at its facility in Great Falls.
Montana Renewables, which is a subsidiary of the Calumet oil refinery, is expanding as part of a $1.7 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy. A water treatment plant will be part of that expansion.
Montana Renewables previously looked into injecting its wastewater into old oil and gas wells outside of Valier. Pondera County Commissioners and local residents opposed that proposal, voicing concerns over what’s in the water, and how it could impact local groundwater.
The Department of Energy must approve the project before construction can begin on the water treatment facility.
Montana Renewables did not say whether it plans to use the Pondera County wells – which would first require permits from the EPA – while waiting on the Department of Energy's approval.
This latest news was met with cautious support from the county commissioners. They say they hope to see the wells proposal abandoned and the project's permits denied by the EPA.
