Mo. Biofuels Ethanol Company Wins $48.4M Verdict

A suburban St. Louis biofuels ethanol company has won a $48.4 million judgment against a title company whose mistake caused it to bypass building a plant outside Wichita, Kan.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a jury returned the verdict this past week in St. Louis County Circuit Court.

Abengoa Bioenergy of Chesterfield alleged in the suit that Chicago Title Insurance Co. was supposed to notify property owners near the site of the proposed Colwich, Kan., plant to acquire the proper zoning.

But Abengoa attorney Jim Dowd says the title company left seven property owners off the list.

The property owners found out about it and sued after zoning was granted. Abengoa built a plant in Granite City, Ill., but says the Kansas plant would have been more profitable.