Air Quality Construction Permit for KAAPA Partners Aurora Ethanol Plant Modification

Program Name Air Quality Program FID 87072 Location 2103 Harvest Drive, Aurora, Hamilton County, Nebraska 68818 Nearest City Aurora Link to Public Notice Documents Public Notice Documents Link to view all program documents All Program Documents May be slow to load depending on the number of documents

Permit Type Construction Comment Start Date

1 April 2026

End of Comment Period

30 April 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment

Permitting and Engineering Division

Notice is given to the public, according to Chapter 10 of Nebraska Administrative Code Title 129 - Nebraska Air Quality Regulations, that the Department is proposing to issue an air construction permit to KAAPA Partners Aurora, LLC (FID 87072), an existing ethanol plant (Standard Industrial Classification code 2869), for the modification of two (2) anhydrous ethanol tanks, ethanol loadout operations, DDGS operations, and carbon sequestration operations located at 2103 Harvest Drive, Aurora, Hamilton county, Nebraska.

The anticipated change in emissions of regulated air contaminants in tons per year (tpy) due to the proposed permit revision at this facility will be: -68.95 tpy of Particulate Matter (PM); -66.95 tpy of PM ≤ 10 microns (PM 10); -64.73 tpy PM ≤ 2.5 microns (PM 2.5); -83.85 tpy Sulfur Dioxide; -57.37 tpy Oxides of Nitrogen; -146.22 tpy Carbon Monoxide; -35.50 tpy Volatile Organic Compounds; -1.60 tpy of Acetaldehyde; and            -0.47 tpy total Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP). There are currently no Counties classified as being in non-attainment with the State Total Reduced Sulfur (TRS) standards. It is the source’s responsibility to ensure no take of threatened or endangered species result from the proposed revisions to the ethanol plant.

The Department proposes to issue a construction permit with specific conditions, based on Title 129, which allows for the increase in capacity of two (2) new anhydrous ethanol storage tanks, the modification of fermentation operations to integrate carbon sequestration operations, the addition of combined emissions limits to the RTO units involved in DDGS operations, and the modification of ethanol loadout operations to replace an existing flare and remove a flare that was not constructed. DDGS drying operations also includes an operational limitation to limit the four (4) dryers to 12,270 combined hours of operation per year. Modifications to ethanol loadout operations also includes an operational limitation that allows for only six (6) of the seven (7) loadouts to be used during any single liquid product loading event.

The proposed permit and supporting materials are available Wednesday, April 1 st, 2026 through Thursday, April 30 th, 2026 at the NDWEE, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68521 and electronically at https://dwee.nebraska.gov. Comments received by the Department during this period will be considered prior to the final decision. Only comments received by the Department during this period on new and significantly revised conditions to the previous construction permit(s) will be considered.  During this period the applicant, or any interested person or group of persons, may request or petition the Director for a public hearing. The request must be in writing and state the nature of the issues to be raised and all arguments and factual grounds supporting their position. If a public hearing is granted by the Director, the hearing will be advertised by public notice at least 30 days prior to the hearing.

Inquiries may be made at (402) 471-2186 or dwee.airquality@nebraska.gov. Individuals requiring special accommodations or alternate formats of materials should notify the NDWEE by calling (402) 471-2186.  TDD users should call (800) 833-7352 and ask the relay operator to call the NDWEE at (402) 471-2186. For further information, to submit comments, or request a hearing you may contact the NDWEE by email “ dwee.airquality@nebraska.gov ” or by mail submitted to the attention of Air Construction Permitting Section Supervisor, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68521.

The NDWEE does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in administration of its programs or activities, and NDWEE does not intimidate or retaliate against any individual or group because they have exercised their rights to participate in or oppose actions protected/prohibited by 40 CFR Parts 5 and 7, or for the purpose of interfering with such rights.

Si necesita traducción de documentos al Español, por favor llame a NDWEE al (402) 471-2186.