04/14/2006

Benzie to learn grant details

Company wants help in building waste treatment plant

By PATRICK SULLIVAN

psullivan@record-eagle.com

BEULAH — Benzie County officials expect to learn details today about a request from Graceland Fruit Inc. for help to apply for a grant to build a multi-million dollar fruit waste treatment plant.

Graceland needs the county to apply for the grant because a private company is not eligible, county administrator Chuck Clarke said.

Graceland is scheduled to make a presentation to the county finance committee today. Clarke said Graceland wants a grant from the Economic Development Administration, but he said he wasn't sure whether that is a state or federal agency.

The federal Economic Development Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides grants to local governments as long as the money will promote job growth, according to Matthew Crow, EDA director of communications in Washington, D.C.

Private companies are not eligible, but money can go indirectly to private industry if a local government can make a case that the money will build infrastructure to create jobs, Crow said.

Clarke said the grant will not cost county taxpayer dollars but will require time from him and his employees.

When Graceland first approached commissioners with the request in January, commissioners didn't consider ongoing legal trouble Graceland faces over alleged environmental law violations.

"As far as their legal problems, we didn't get into that," Clarke said.

Graceland president and CEO Donald Nugent could not be reached for comment.

The company's discharge of blueberry waste in a gravel pit near Honor sparked an investigation in 2004 that led to a request from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for felony charges against Graceland and its waste hauler.

State Attorney General Mike Cox's office turned down that request, saying a civil settlement would be negotiated. Cox spokesman Nate Bailey said those negotiations remain ongoing.

See Related Stories:
      Graceland pursues grants - February 14, 2006
      Dumping suit to proceed - December 15, 2005
      Graceland wants lawyers to be quiet - December 11, 2005
      DEQ sought felonies against Graceland, hauler - November 20, 2005
      CEO: Tax shield has nothing to do with pollution - November 20, 2005
      A close look at the DEQ findings - November 20, 2005
      How fruit waste turns a stream orange - November 20, 2005

See related editorial:

• Cox must explain orange creek decisions - November 27, 2005