South Sioux City pays $9.75M to settle lawsuits and gain full control of the defunct Big Ox biofuel plant site.

South Sioux City has settled its final lawsuits over the defunct Big Ox renewable fuel plant, paying $9.75 million—$4.5 million now and $5.25 million over 10 years at zero percent interest—to acquire the site, adjacent land, and a natural gas skid. The deal, funded through the city’s utility account, resolves federal and state claims, including an EPA penalty for environmental violations, and ends years of litigation. The city now has full control of the 43,000-square-foot facility and nearly 30 acres, enabling future redevelopment without prior owner restrictions.