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Evansville Mayor comments on CHS crush plant project

An elected official says there has been progress towards building Wisconsin’s first soybean crushing facility.

Evansville Mayor Dianne Duggan tells Brownfield the officials from CHS will soon come to Evansville to close the real estate deal, giving CHS ownership of the land, which has already been annexed to the city.  Duggan says several other steps have been completed in anticipation of building the plant. “We have done the reviews of energy, water, and wastewater and that sort of thing and know what we have to do. So now, we just need to continue to provide the information that they need, but the ball is essentially in CHS’s court in that they have to go and get the approval of their board.”

Duggan says it’s unclear when the CHS board will make their decision. “But of course, with the economy the way that it’s been, and this being an election year, they want to be cautious because this is a huge investment, and they’re looking at over 700 million dollars of investment in this plant in Evansville.”

Duggan says having the state’s only soybean crushing facility would be a great opportunity for people and for other businesses in Evansville, Rock County, and the state.

Thursday, Governor Tony Evers signed legislation granting Evansville an exemption to the tax incremental financing restrictions.  Duggan says that allows Evansville to take care of critical infrastructure needed to attract businesses including the CHS soybean plant.

Audio: Mayor Dianne Duggan discusses Evansville, Wisconsin’s progress towards the proposed CHS soybean crushing facility.