NORFOLK, Neb. -- Norfolk Crush recently received approval from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy for a building permit in November, allowing them to move forward with the construction of its $355 million soybean crush facility.

Norfolk City Administrator, Andy Colvin, said the plant's economic impact on Norfolk and the surrounding areas will be noticeable.

"Anytime you have a large presence like Norfolk Crush, it's going to directly benefit and have that value added to agriculture and northeast Nebraska is going to reap benefits multiple time over Norfolk," Colvin said. "That money that is normally spent here will multiply over and over again, you know at restaurants and shopping and housing within the new employees that they're going to be having. So the rollover effect that you are going to feel from that is going to be tremendous I would say."

Norfolk Crush has already begun working on its 480-acre site with plans to be in operation by the end of 2024.

Colvin said Norfolk Crush has little work left to be done to meet city requirements, noting that discussions are being had to handle community members' concerns of railroad traffic.

"There are some concerns I've heard within the community like 'How many railcars are passing through?; What will the extra rail traffic be?; And how that could impact the community?'" Colvin said. "Again those are things that we can work with Norfolk Crush on and try to find the best way forward that will be the best for everybody in the community and Norfolk Crush as well."

According to the city, Norfolk Crush will produce up to 55 new jobs within the community.

Norfolk Crush is also expected to produce over 800,000 tons of soybean meal per year along with 450 million pounds of crude soybean oil per year.