Public hearing held on Purdue Grain and Oil Seed Facility

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a public hearing in Banbridge, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday concerning the air quality plan approval for the Purdue Grain and Oil Seed, LLC, grain elevator and soybean oil extraction facility.

The proposed facility  in Conoy Township, Lancaster County, has been in development for five years and represents an investment of more than $60 million on the part of Purdue. The DEP has communicated frequently with Perdue Agribusiness throughout the permitting process, and Tuesday’s hearing was the DEP’s second on the facility. These efforts were to ensure that the plant would meet state and federal regulations on public health, safety and environmental sustainability.

The hearing, which was held at the Banbridge Fire Hall, included testimony from the general public, and was preceded by multiple meetings and forums hosted by Purdue.

The processing plant is planned for a location that is centrally located near Pennsylvania’s biggest soybean-producing counties. Purdue plans to use it to cut down on transportation costs, as much of the state’s soybean yield is sent to external plants then brought back for livestock feed.