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Navitas Global pitches ethanol/biofuel plant for Portales, says it will create local jobs
Summary
Navitas Global outlined plans to restart a Portales biofuel plant using dairy-processing waste, promising no fresh water use, carbon-capture offsets and about 45 permanent jobs plus 200–300 construction jobs; county officials heard details but no county approvals were sought.
Eduard Zaydman, representing Navitas Global, presented a plan to restore biofuel production at the Portales plant and said the facility would convert dairy-processing byproducts into sustainable fuels.
Zaydman said the process would return clean water as discharge, require no fresh water intake, generate no process waste and include carbon-capture offsets. He told the commission that there has been interest from the aviation industry for sustainable aviation fuel and that hiring for operations would begin within a month, creating roughly 45 local jobs and 200–300 temporary construction jobs.
The presentation outlined environmental claims and employment estimates but did not include final permitting, financing or a county action request. Commissioner Paul Grider asked about the status of delinquent property taxes on the plant site; Treasurer Victoria Ramos replied that back taxes and additional liens remain and that the title is not clear, noting the property remains on the tax-sale list unless payment or arrangements are made.
The commission received the presentation for information. No formal action or approvals were requested or taken at the meeting; next steps were not specified by Navitas Global during the presentation.
