PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A chemical processing plant is now set to be built along the Illinois River, which Peoria officials said will bring environmentally safe procedures.
The Peoria City Council voted 9-1 Tuesday to allow Columbus, Nebraska-based Viridis Chemical to move to the River City to partner with BioUrja Renewables to create ethyl acetate, a solvent used in everyday materials like nail polish remover.
At-large city council member Kiran Velpula was the lone dissenting vote and expressed concerns about the facility being built so close to the Illinois River, and what could happen if flammable chemicals end up in the water.
He also shared concerns over apparent “last-minute” negotiations between city staff, environmental advocates, and BioUrja representatives.
2nd district city council member Chuck Grayeb shared Velpula’s concerns about the negotiations, but “reluctantly” voted in favor of the proposal.
City attorney Patrick Hayes apologized for the 11th hour negotiations, saying he hopes it doesn’t become a recurring issue, but it was needed in order to address environmental, neighborhood, and other concerns.
He went on to say that he believes the facility will benefit the south side of the city, bringing jobs to an area in need of an economic boost. He referred to it as a “tremendous opportunity.”
Project manager Eric Lawrence for Viridis took questions from council members, saying that a fire has never broken out at the Nebraska plant, and that the company utilizes an “industry-leading” method of creating ethyl acetate.
He also pointed to the various safety measures that the company takes, and that there has never been a spill, and there has only been one minor employee injury.
According to the agenda packet, the company’s reasoning for moving to Peoria is access to the Illinois River, a closer location to its markets, and a supportive community and labor force.
Retired attorney Tim Bertschy represented the environmental groups, saying they “got a lot in the deal” and that the city, BioUrja, and Viridis met the needs of the community.
“The city really stepped up here to involve our group and in particular, our environmental justice work group, in their efforts to make sure that we achieved some degree of protection for the community that went beyond just what a zoning ordinance would provide for,” he said.
Bertschy went on to say that it provides a “template” for future related projects.
The agreement includes measures that both BioUrja and Viridis must stay compliant with federal environmental laws and must submit an annual report on their compliance with Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
Viridis will also prioritize hiring south-side Peoria residents as part of the deal.
The plan is for the plant to be ready to go by the end of 2025.
Peoria Council to hire consultants to bring casino to city
Other approved items
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The construction of two transitional homes for young adults on the campus of Children’s Home was approved. The 5,000 square foot houses would be part of the organization’s supervised independent living program for 18–24-year-olds, an age range at risk for becoming unhoused.
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$9.6 million will be used to improve Moss Avenue from Western Avenue to Sheridan Road. The project will reconstruct the roadway with new curbs and gutters, and permeable pavers will be used in the parking lanes to capture stormwater using green infrastructure. Intersection crosswalks will also be improved to be ADA compliant. Illinois American Water will also pay the replace the 100-year-old water main.
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