The owners of Newport Biodiesel LLC say business is so good that they're asking the state for permission to triple the company's annual production to 1.5 million gallons.
Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management has scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the company's plant on Connell Highway.
The Newport Daily News reports that Newport Biodiesel employs about 20 people and collects waste vegetable oil from more than 1,000 restaurants in southern New England. The company sold its first gallon of biodiesel fuel processed from cooking oil in January 2008.
The company's partners aren't expecting any opposition to their increased production plans, and they say they're not expanding their facility. The company used a $365,000 state grant to add storage tanks and production equipment.
