Epitome Energy Building Soybean Crush Facility in Grand Forks

Grand Forks, ND — Epitome Energy announced on Monday night that they will be building their $400 million soybean crush facility in Grand Forks, rather than their originally planned site in Crookston. Plans for the 42 million bushel per year soybean crush plant have been held up by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for the last 16 months while they go through the air permitting process. Dennis Egan, Epitome Energy CEO, says because of the uncertainty in the regulatory process they are facing in Minnesota, they chose to move the project across the river to North Dakota where the process is much simpler.

Egan adds that North Dakota still has a very rigorous permitting process, but because there are already two other crush facilities in that state being built, they have a much better understanding of what to expect.

By moving the facility from Crookston to Grand Forks, Egan says they still have sufficient access to soybeans to meet their demand and will still have a positive impact on producers in both North Dakota and Minnesota.

The Epitome Energy Soybean Crushing Facility will be located just north of Grand Forks on land acquired from Northern Plains Rail. They hope to break ground next summer and be operational by the fall of 2025.