DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) – The owners of a defunct biogas plant in northeast Nebraska have agreed to pay a $1.1 million fine to the state and federal governments for repeated violations of environmental rules. Big Ox began operations in September 2016, separating solids from industry wastewater to create methane. The plant sold the methane and injected it into a nearby natural gas pipeline. Big Ox was subject to odor complaints soon after it began operations and was cited for numerous environmental violations until it shut down in 2019. The EPA says that at times the company allowed liquid wastewater to overflow from its plant and at times Big Ox discharged methane at levels that could be flammable.
Defunct biogas plant to pay $1.1M for environmental breaches
