Ethanol plant planned for Wasco

“A $200 million ethanol plant is planned for Wasco. Construction is expected to begin this fall on the plant, which is projected to open in late 2008 or early 2009. Ron Mittag, director of the City of Wasco Economic Development Corp., said his company and the Kern Economic Development Corp. worked with New York-based US Ethanol Holdings LLC to find an amenable location in Kern County. ‘They told us they needed railroad access, and we were able to find that for them in Wasco,’ Mittag said. The planned facility could bring as many as 65 jobs in the area. Besides as many as 500 jobs created during construction of the facility, additional jobs will appear for area truck companies once the plant opens, Mittag said. The Wasco plant will be the second California facility built by US Ethanol.”