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Port OKs Lease For Biofuel Plant

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2008

TAMPA - The Tampa Port Authority board approved on Tuesday the transfer of a property lease to GreenHunter Energy Inc., which plans to build a biodiesel fuels plant at the port.

GreenHunter was seeking to take over an option for land from Port Sutton Envirofuels, a Bay area company that had planned to build an ethanol plant at the port until that project was shelved.

GreenHunter's $70 million project initially would create 250 construction jobs and eventually 50 to 60 full-time jobs once the biofuels plant is up and running. The plant would take 12 to 18 months to build, port officials said

The Houston-based company initially plans to use vegetable oil as stock for biofuels, but later may use animal fat, port counsel Charles Klug said.

In other business Monday, the board gave port director Richard Wainio an "overall outstanding" appraisal on his annual evaluation.

"He has led the port through difficult financial times and has excellent knowledge of the port industry," board chairman Larry Shipp said.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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