EPA Fines Wyoming Ethanol Plant $49,000

TORRINGTON, Wyo. (AP) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has imposed a $49,000 fine on an eastern Wyoming ethanol producer for violations of chemical handling procedures.

The EPA announced that an inspection last year found officials at the Wyoming Ethanol plant in Torrington failed to maintain a sufficient risk management program for the various toxic and flammable chemicals.

The Associated Press reports that the inspection also found the company had failed to report properly to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory, a mandatory program detailing how chemicals are used.

Terry Oldfield is chief executive of Wyoming Ethanol's parent company, Boise, Idaho-based Renova Energy.  he says the violations were the result of an unfortunate oversight at the Torrington plant.