July 17, 2017 - ONTONAGON, Mich. — By JAN TUCKER jantuck@jamadots.com

Ontonagon has been selected as one of two initial sites in the U.S. for the construction of an advanced biofuels plant. SynSel Energy, Inc., is partnering with a U.S.-based financier and Lost Bowl Development, LLC, to develop the $300 million biorefinery at the site of the closed Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill in Ontonagon. A second identical $300 million plant will be developed by SynSel in Lumberton, Miss. Each site is expected to produce about 250 direct and indirect jobs.

The Smurfit-Stone Paper Mill closed in 2010 and was just one more setback for Ontonagon County after the closure of the White Pine Mine and Lake Shore shipyard. As a result Ontonagon County has consistently had one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.