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Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:56 PM PDT

CALIPATRIA — An alternative energy company grading outside here has been ordered to stop its operation due to not having proper permits, an Imperial County official said Wednesday.

SunEco Energy, a branch of Chino-based Global Renewable Energy Systems, has been grading land near the intersection of E. Montgomery and Haley roads, near the Highline Canal northeast of Calipatria.

Darrell Gardner, assistant director for Imperial County Planning and Development Services, said the company was “red-tagged” and ordered to cease and desist its operation.

“We have illegal grading without permits and they have (recreation vehicles) without permits,” Gardner said.

Gardner said planning inspectors found ponds being dug up and about three RVs that were stationed in the area.

He said while the construction was ordered to stop “no one was found guilty of anything.” He said an investigation needs to occur and the company would be allowed to go through the permitting process.

He said because neither SunEco or Global Renewable has filed paperwork with the county, he was unsure what the project is specifically and wasn’t sure if the company would have to go through an environmental impact study process.

He said once paper work is turned in by the company a permit could be issued within 10 days.

According to the SunEco Web site, www.sunecoenergy.com, SunEco will utilize “innovative licensed technology” from Global Renewable to produce “organic biocrude from algae and waste water on non-agricultural land.”

The site also says SunEco produces straight vegetable oil, also known as biocrude or biodiesel crude, from algal oil and also livestock feed supplement from the remaining algal oil, carbohydrates, proteins and sugars.

Multiple calls over a three-day period to Global Renewable and messages left for Hoyt Isom, the company’s head of public affairs, were not returned.

Andy Horne, natural resources director and specialist for renewable energy projects for Imperial County, said he knew nothing about the project.

Calipatria City Manager Romualdo Medina said he was informed about the project “a couple of weeks ago,” but because the project was not in Calipatria city limits he did not have detailed information.

He said the city has been trying to secure SunEco representatives to present at a Calipatria City Council meeting.

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