Energy firm ‘red-tagged’ By
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
, Staff Writer
JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO
Heavy equipment rests at a construction site for the future SunEco
Energy algae and biodiesel company plant on Montgomery and Haley roads
northeast of Calipatria on Wednesday.
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.
>> Staff Writer
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
can be reached at 337-3441 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Copyright © 2008 ivpressonline.com. All rights reserved.
