LA County approves commercial ethanol plant (CA)

San Francisco Chronicle
By DAISY NGUYEN, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, July 23, 2008

(07-23) 17:30 PDT LOS ANGELES, (AP) --
A proposal to build the nation's first commercial ethanol production plant using yard trimmings, paper, wheat straws and other green wastes was approved Wednesday by Los Angeles County officials.

Members of the county's regional planning commission unanimously agreed to issue a zoning permit to Irvine-based BlueFire Ethanol to build a $30 million facility in Lancaster, a desert community north of Los Angeles.

Construction of the plant, to be built next to a landfill, could start in the fall if no one opposes the project. The public has until Aug. 6 to appeal the commission's decision.

"This is a significant milestone, it's history-making in many respects," said BlueFire's president and CEO, Arnold R. Klann.

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