ADM FAILED TO OBTAIN A PSD PERMIT PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF A MAJOR MODIFICATION TO ITS FACILITY.
The original Consent Decree between the United States and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) was entered into in 2003. Under that Decree, at an estimated cost of $328 million, including at least $208 million in capital costs, ADM agreed to make environmental improvements at its plants nationwide that would eliminate 63,000 tons in air pollution per year. Most of the obligations of the 2003 Decree have been implemented. However, some time ago, it was determined that the extent to which volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions could be reduced at ADM's Marshall, Minnesota plant were overestimated. The parties agreed that for every ton that ADM fell short of meeting the VOC requirements (108 tons at the Marshall, Minnesota plant), the facility would need to reduce two tons of air pollution at the facility another way.
ADM therefore agreed to enter into an agreement to permanently shutdown two coal-fired boilers and appurtenant material handling equipment and replace these equipment items with a new natural gas boiler. These shut downs and their replacement with a natural gas boiler, will achieve reductions of about 770 tons per year of emissions, primarily sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide.