Public Statement: River Falls AD1 Facility Incident

On Friday morning, December 12, the low-pressure outer membrane on one of the anaerobic digester units at Vanguard Renewables’ River Falls AD1 facility experienced a rupture.

Our on-site operations team immediately activated the Emergency Response Plan and alerted local emergency response agencies. Responders arrived promptly, and the River Falls Fire Department issued an all-clear within the hour.

All facility personnel are safe and accounted for. There were no injuries reported to Vanguard Renewables staff, Peterson Family Dairy personnel and livestock, or surrounding wildlife.

“The digester operates at very low pressure—similar to the pressure inside a balloon—far below levels associated with high-pressure systems, which significantly reduces risk,” said Michael Routledge, Senior Vice President of Operations at Vanguard Renewables. “Based on current information, this incident did not exceed any regulatory emission thresholds and posed no danger to public health or the environment. We reported the event to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of transparency.”

River Falls Fire Chief Justin Wilson added:

“There was no fire, no concerning readings on the meters and the areas checked were determined to be safe,” Wilson said. “No evacuations of the surrounding areas were required, and there were no reported injuries to employees or fire personnel.”

A formal investigation is underway to determine the root cause and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The health and safety of our employees, farm partners, and the community remain our highest priority.

We value our partnership with Peterson Family Dairy and our relationship with the River Falls community. We will provide timely updates to all stakeholders throughout the investigation and remediation process.

Vanguard Renewables is committed to operational excellence, supported by rigorous safety protocols and continuous training, to advance safety and environmental stewardship in all our operations.

For more information about Vanguard Renewables’ commitment to Health, Safety and the Environment, visit www.vanguardrenewables.com/health-safety-environment