Heartland Biogas, operated a plant in Weld County, CO that turned manure, food waste and other organic matter into biogas, along with a liquid that results from the process and is sold as fertilizer to farmers. Heartland bought the plant from another company in 2013 and invested $102 million in machinery and changes to it. Weld County determined the company didn’t have proper approval to sell the liquid fertilizer, which regulators view as wastewater. The plant’s previous owner had approval, but a CDPHE attorney concluded that it could not transfer to Heartland when the facility sold. The company says its storage ponds that hold the liquid eventually filled up, forcing the closure of the plant and the loss of millions of dollars. More >>
