Just less than a year ago, the prospects for a biodiesel plant in Minot, North Dakota seemed pretty promising as the state’s governor, a U.S. Senator, and North Dakota’s ag commissioner attended the groundbreaking at the Dakota Skies Biodiesel plant.

But a decision by the Minot Area Development Corporation, which donated the land for the plant in the first place, not to allow Dakota Skies to keep pursuing the venture has brought the project to a close. KFYR-TV has more:

“We had extended that contract a number of times and the last one, the board of directors decided not to extend the contract,” says Jerry Chavez, President of the Minot Area Development Corporation. Chavez wouldn`t go into details on why they made the decision, but it may have something to do with how long it took this project to move forward.

“It`s a heartbreaker of course,” says Jeremy Dockter, CEO of Dakota Skies, LLC. “We certainly had the feeling this was a strong project and deserved to happen,” says Dockter.

The TV station reports a bitter sign reading “construction starting soon” is still on the property that was supposed to be a $75 million canola crushing plant.