spiritwoodenergyparkJamestown (CSi) Officials with New Energy Investors plan to submit an updated grant request to the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Committee (APUC) following its previous request that was denied in May.

Jamestown Stutsman Development Corporation CEO Connie Ova says the request was being fine tuned before resubmission.

CEO Robert Johnson says the plan is on schedule and they are talking with project investors. Johnson said the project could still meet its goal of breaking ground next summer.

New Energy Investors announced in April it was in the planning stages for a $150 million project to produce 13 million gallons of ethanol from corn stover and wheat straw. The plant would be located at the Spiritwood Energy Park Association industrial park adjacent to Dakota Spirit AgEnergy, which produces ethanol from corn.

New Energy Investors had requested a $225,000 grant from APUC which would be matched by a $75,000 grant from the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. The company planned to use the funds to update its business plan and continue project planning.

North Dakota Ag Commissioner, Doug Goehring says the request was denied not because it doesn’t have merit and not because it doesn’t have support, adding that it was a huge request at $225,000 and officials have already funded a feasibility study, adding that it wouldn’t cost that much to update the study.