05.02.14

Hoeven Presses Moniz to Support ND Fertilizer Plant

Plant Will Provide Farmers with Local, Low-Cost Source of Fertilizer, Reduce Flaring, Create Jobs and Economic Growth

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today met with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz to seek support in securing a more than $1 billion Advanced Fossil Energy loan guarantee for Cenex Harvest States’ (CHS’) innovative, new fertilizer plant in Spiritwood, North Dakota. Hoeven met with Moniz at his Washington office.

“This is an innovative project that benefits our farmers, our environment and our economy,” said Hoeven. “The plant will convert natural gas into anhydrous ammonia, providing our farmers with a low-cost, local source of fertilizer while reducing flaring and creating jobs and economic activity. This project has tremendous benefits for our state.”

CHS’ plant will use state-of-the-art technology to convert Bakken natural gas into ammonia. Ammonia produced at the plant would help to reduce U.S. farmers’ reliance on foreign sources of fertilizer. The plant is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 592,000 tons per year. The project is expected to create more than 2,000 construction jobs and 180 long-term jobs.

The CHS plant is one of only two fertilizer plants to be built in the United States in the last 30 years.