Falls City, Nebraska
The Falls City, Nebraska BDO Zone for Corn Stover is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: September 23, 2024.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
Falls City, NE, BDO Zone Overview
Feedstock quantities are expressed in bone dry tons per year (bdt/yr), while feedstock costs are expressed in USD ($). Maximum transport distance is based on a 75-mile driving distance from the centre point (Falls City, NE).
BDO Zone Assets
- Many farmers and agricultural companies in the BDO Zone are already familiar with the logistics of bale production, storage, and transport.
- High crop yields provide feedstock supply assurances.
- Existing and planned corn stover bio-projects are located outside of the Competition Zone.
- Prospective project development site (MidAmerica Rail Campus) with rail access, open zoning, and support for utilities upgrades by multiple levels of government.
BDO Zone Liabilities
- Large investments in baling equipment are necessary to meet supply chain standards likely to be preferred by project developers.
- Meeting quality standards of bio-projects will be challenging due to lack of experience with bale production at scale.
- Inclement weather can restrict time window for efficient bale production and collection.
Infrastructure
- The Mid-America Rail Campus is a 1,017-acre speculative industrial rail park in Falls City, Nebraska served by the Union Pacific railroad. Falls City is the mid-point between Omaha and Kansas City. Although the community is served by two First Class Railroads, only the Union Pacific’s mainline is directly accessible from the site. The campus is bound to the west by U.S. Hwy 73, with four major metropolitan areas within 90 minutes: Kansas City, Omaha, Lincoln, and Topeka.
- The Union Pacific rail line runs along the eastern portion of the site, the Kansas border provides the southern boundary, and the Big Nemaha River is towards the north. Interstate 29 is 20 minutes east along U.S. Hwy 136 over the new Missouri River Bridge at Rulo, NE. U.S. Hwy 36 is 20 minutes south in Hiawatha, KS and U.S. Hwy 75 is 15 minutes west along Nebraska State Hwy 8. The navigable Missouri River is 10 miles east at the Port of Rulo.
- Falls City is the economic hub for the tri-state region (NE, KS, MO) with a 2022 population of 38,481 living in counties within a 25-mile radius. The Mid-America Rail Campus offers development-ready parcels with land-use flexibility served by Falls City Utilities.
- Target Projects:
- Biofuels, Ag Processing, Manufacturing, Distribution, Shipping and Logistics, Food and Beverage, and Data Centers.
Local Grants and Incentives
Falls City IncentivesBusinesses locating or expanding here may be eligible for specific local and state financial incentives. Falls City Economic Development and Growth Enterprise (EDGE) can assist you with identifying and understanding the programs that best meet your company’s growth needs and guide you through the financial assistance application process.
Site and Building Development FundIn the Spring of 2022, the Nebraska Legislature allocated $15,000,000 for a community with Falls City’s attributes to expand their electrical infrastructure; likely necessary to power the biofuel site. We are engaging with stakeholders to identify the combination of renewable generation necessary to power their operation.
