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AltEn print media stories
Most recent:
After a massive bee kill, a scientist challenges pesticide policies, by Rebecca Raney, U.S. Right to Know Review, March 12, 2024
Jim Macy, state environmental chief for nine years, to retire next month: Some criticized the director and the agency for not acting sooner to shut down notorious AltEn ethanol plant, by Paul Hammel, Nebraska Examiner, March 11, 2024.
AltEn cleanup making progress despite setbacks; contractor says there's 'room for improvement,' by Chris Dunker, Lincoln Journal Star, December 20, 2023
Buzzkill: A bee researcher's colonies kept dying, and she couldn't figure out why. Then, she looked at the ethanol factory down the road, by Dan Charles, Food & Environment Reporting Network, December 18, 2023
Blood updates League of Women Voters on Mead ethanol plant woes, by Savana Kascak, Hastings Tribune, Dec. 11, 2023
AltEn Cleanup Ongoing, Lawsuit Slows: More Than 10,000 Tons of Wet Cake to Be Removed at Nebraska Ethanol Plant, Progressive Farmer powered by DTN, by Todd Neeley, November 17, 2023.
Telling the story: UNL students relish opportunity to study AltEn contamination, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, Nov. 12, 2023
Court: Co. Not Liable in Mead Cleanup, Progressive Farmer, powered by DTN, by Todd Neeley, Nov. 3, 2023
Mead residents still being exposed to pesticides from AltEn, study shows, Lincoln Journal Stat, by Chris Dunker, September 16, 2023
Cleanup of contaminated solid waste to begin next month at AltEn near Mead, Nebraska, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, August 22, 2023
AltEn Fights Bayer on Plant Cleanup, DTN.com, by Todd Neeley, August 15, 2023.
Mead Ethanol Plant Cleanup in New Phase: Engineers Consider Moving Waste From Closed AltEn Nebraska Ethanol Plant to Landfills, Progressive Farmer, by Todd Neeley, June 7, 2023
Trucks begin hauling trash from AltEn site, Wahoo Newspaper, by Suzi Nelson, May 31, 2023
Clean up of AltEn site enters new phase, waste could be headed to Omaha landfill, Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, May 25, 2023.
*****
May 25, 2023
Lincoln Journal Star, April 3, 2023
Federal judge freezes most of AltEn's assets at the request of seed companies, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, February 8, 2023
Seed companies seek AltEn assets to help cleanup; ethanol plant says it needs funds to comply with state, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, Feb. 3, 2023
Study Shows Improvements: Some concerns, but levels of pesticide on the decline, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, January 31, 2023
Contaminants from AltEn plant found in more homes, streams and soil, Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, January 30, 2023
Nebraska fights court action by seed companies to block AltEn from transferring funds, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, January 28, 2023
Landowner asks for denial of AltEn permit, Wahoo Newspaper, by Suzi Nelson, December 21, 2022.
AltEn group explores bringing thermal treatment units for on-site cleanup at Mead plant site, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, December 12, 2022.
Pair of AltEn public hearings scheduled, Wahoo Newspaper, by Suzi Nelson, Dec. 7, 2022
Public confuses AltEn and former NOP cleanup during open house, Wahoo Newspaper, by Suzi Nelson, Nov. 23, 2022.
Where the coverage started.
‘There’s a red flag here’: how an ethanol plant is dangerously polluting a US village' in The Guardian (January 10, 2021). This article first brought public attention to the situation.
Follow-up article: ‘We want it back to what it was’: the US village blighted by toxic waste, The Guardian co-published with The New Lede, by Carey Gillam, April 26, 2022.
More articles in chronological order.
'Statement: Bee-killing pollution spills from Nebraska ethanol facility shouldn't have happened,' Environment America. January 12, 2021.
'Ethanol Plant Processing Pesticide Coated Seeds Contaminates Nebraska Town', Beyond Pesticides Daily News, January 13, 2021
'Chemicals don't just disappear — Persistence by researchers, residents uncovers pesticide contamination at Mead plant,' Lincoln Journal Star, Feb. 7, 2021
'County board hears AltEn concerns,' Wahoo Newspaper, January 22, 2021
'A dump for seed corn companies' — Mead residents worry what comes next for troubled ethanol plant, Lincoln Journal Star, Feb 14, 2021.
'Farm and Food File: Rural America shouldn't be a dump site for corporate America,' Columbia Daily Tribune, March 1, 2021.
'Wastewater spill at Mead ethanol plant has traveled more than 4 miles downstream,' Omaha World Herald, Feb 17, 2021 Updated March 25, 202
'Nebraska Ethanol Plant Puts Water Supply at Risk,' Courthouse News Service, March 1, 2021
'Project Apis m. Funds Dr. Judy Wu-Smart to investigate the impacts of pesticide-treated seed recycling in Nebraska, Project Apis m., March 16, 2021
'Director defends Nebraska agency's efforts to bring Mead ethanol plant into compliance,' Omaha World Herald, Feb 26, 2021 Updated Mar 17, 2021
'We're facing uphill battles: researchers, residents urge more testing after AltEn pollution,' NET, March 25, 2021.
'A big crisis in our state - Bill to ban ethanol companies from using treated seed advances,' Lincoln Journal Star, March 26, 2021
'AltEn: The mess gets even messier,' Morrison County Record, March 26, 2021
'After 25 years and millions of dollars, Superfund cleanup continues in Mead area,' Lincoln Journal Star, March 28, 2021
'Comprehensive study on AltEn effects planned,' Wahoo Newspaper, March 31, 2021
'UNMC to study Mead ethanol plant contamination,' Omaha World Herald, April 4, 2021
'Texas company seeking to take over feedlot adjoining troubled AltEn plant,' Lincoln Journal Star, April 6, 2021
'New health study of Mead contamination outlined by UNMC and Creighton,' Omaha World Herald, April 7, 2021
'NU, Creighton researchers preparing for 'unprecedented' study of contamination from AltEn,' Lincoln Journal Star, April 7, 2021
'Mead ethanol plant hasn't paid property taxes since 2014, owes $518,630,' Omaha World Herald, April 12, 2021
'Mead residents demand answers about efforts to clean up AltEn at town hall,' Lincoln Journal Star, April 12, 2021
'Mead plant received COVID funds amid environmental concerns, delinquent taxes,' Lincoln Journal Star, April 13, 2021
'Nebraskans Worry About Toxic Seed Piles: As Ethanol Plant's Pollution Problems Stack Up, Owners Look to Transfer Feedyard Permit,' Progressive Farmer: DTN, April 13, 2021
'Mead residents meet with experts, demand answers,' News Channel Nebraska, April 13, 2021
'This Is Years of Starving Government and Deregulating Industry at Work,' Esquire, April 19, 2021
'Town of Mead's planning commission will consider revoking AltEn's conditional use permit,' Lincoln Journal Star, April 22, 2021
'Nebraska and EPA Look for Solution: Seed Companies Step Into Ethanol Plant Contamination Caused by Treated Corn Seeds,' Progressive Farmer, (Powered by DTN), April 30, 2021
'With questions about cleanup unsettled, Mead officials table decision on ethanol plant permit,' Lincoln Journal Star, May 4, 2021
'Treated seed troubles: Seed treatment overload - The unintended consequences of a popular practice,' Progressive Farmer (powered by DTN), July 14, 2021. (excellent overview of treated seeds in general with references to AltEn).
'Environmental cleanup at AltEn shows progress, Nebraska agency says,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, January 4, 2022
'Nebraska company attempts to unload toxic waste on Kansas farmer,' Kansas Reflector, by Sherman Smith, January 14, 2022
'AltEn Owner Tries to Sell Toxic Biochar,' Progressive Farmer,' powered by DTN, by Chris Clayton, January 19, 2022
'Senators consider bill to give regulators authority to order environmental cleanup sooner,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, February 3, 2022
'State approved the use of pesticide-coated seed corn for ethanol plant a decade ago,' Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, February 8, 2022
'Seed Companies Sue AltEn Over Cleanup,' DTN Progressive Farmer, by Todd Neeley, February 23, 2022.
'Seed companies suing AltEn for how it handled treated see,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, February 23, 2022
'Seed corn companies sue troubled AltEn ethanol plant for damages,' Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, February 23, 2022
'Former neighbor to AltEn urges Legislature to investigate what went wrong,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, February 24, 2022
'Work to install temporary cover over toxic pile at AltEn has finished,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, March 2, 2022
'Sixth seed company sues AltEn; Bayer alleges owners mishandled insurance claim,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, March 3, 2022
'Bayer Sues AltEn for Breach of Contract Due to the Abandonment of its Ethanol Production Facility,' Law Street Media, March 3, 2022
'Research on AltEn May End Prematurely,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, March 23, 2022
'Minnesota House Ag Committee approves proposed rules for disposal of pesticide-treated crop seeds,' Bluestem Prairie, March 28, 2022.
'Smaller funding package for AltEn research study advances,' Linclon Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, March 31, 2022.
'Survey measuring AltEn health effects put online,' Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, April 4, 2022.
'When Seeds Become Toxic Waste,' Civil Eats, by Lisa Held, April 5, 2022.
'Court Combines Seed Company Lawsuits Against AltEn,' Progressive Farmer DTN, by Todd Neeley, April 19, 2022
'How a Nebraska ethanol plant turned seeds into toxic waste,' Grist, by Diana Kruzman, April 21, 2022
'Environmental group raises concerns about new groundwater contamination at AltEn plant,' Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, April 26, 2022
'Pesticides found in AltEn monitoring well near Mead,' The Ashland Gazette, by Suzi Nelson, April 27, 2022
'AltEn seeks new permit,' Lincoln Journal Star,' by Chris Dunker, April 28, 2022
'Lincoln Warehouse Sues AltEn over Rent, Lincoln Journal Star, by Chris Dunker, May 12, 2022
'Mead Cattle permit passes annual review,' Wahoo Newspaper, by Sam Crisler, May 25, 2022
'UNMC scientists: Mead residents have reason to be concerned about AltEn waste,' Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, June 16, 2022
'Monitoring group calls for additional studies and funding to discover possible adverse impacts of AltEn plant,' Nebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel, June 21, 2022
'Researchers release early AltEn study results,' Ashland Gazette,' by Sam Crisler, June 22, 2022
'State renews AltEn wastewater permit,' Lincoln Journal Star, July 1, 2022, by Chris Dunker
'Scientists from across country lending expertise to AltEn study,' Lincoln Journal Star, July 20, 2022, by Chris Dunker