Liberty Renewable Fuels, LLC has negotiated land options in Gratiot County – including Ithaca and St. Louis areas – as potential sites for the facility, with a final site expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

The company is a private entity comprised of representatives with a wide range of extensive experience in the production and handling of grain, livestock nutrition and feeds, agribusiness, banking, accounting, real estate development, building construction, petroleum marketing and distribution, ethanol production, public policy, capital investing and community development.

Liberty commissioned and has received an independent feasibility study as required by lenders, and a 2006 build date with the design-build firm ICM has been confirmed. Ground may be broken as soon as September with the plant set to be ready for production during the fall of 2007. In addition to receiving and storing grain at the plant in Gratiot County, they will also be receiving grain in partnership with facilities located in Oakley, Hemlock, Saginaw, Auburn, Shepherd, Rosebush and Delwin.

The site and plant will be designed for the annual production potential of up to 100 million gallons of ethanol. Plans also call for the co-production of biodiesel on the same site. For more information on the company