The Lindon City Council deemed one Lindon business unsafe Tuesday, and decided to revoke its permits.

Because of what city officials consider the unsafe conditions at the Indian Oil Co., located just off Interstate 15 in Lindon, the council revoked its conditional use permit and business license, prohibiting the company from any further production.

"The city initiated the issue based on complaints about the company not following discharge system requirements," said Adam Cowie, Lindon city planning director. "There were also some safety hazards at the site that needed attention."

The Indian Oil Co., a motor oil company located just off I-15 in Lindon, produced biodiesel fuel, an alternative fuel source. The fuel is made from used plant and animal oils, burns cleaner than diesel fuel and sells for about the same price as normal diesel.

The plant was the first of its kind in Utah, opening its biodiesel production in 2006.

The Indian Oil Co., however, ceased operation in May because of many safety concerns -- acknowledged by its own board of directors in a memo to the Orem Department of Public Works -- including the processing of unreliable, dirty fuels that harmed combustion engines, unsafe processing equipment and explosion incidents on the site.

Orem city workers noticed the discharge violations just over a year ago during routine tests of water in the sewer system.

The water samples showed that there were eight metals, six volatile organic compounds and three conventional pollutants discharged into the sewer system, all of which were traced back to the Indian Oil Co.

In late January, the company was informed of the violation and fined just over $25,000 for the infraction.

"The company still hasn't paid the fines for the violation, which factors into the decision to revoke," said Lindon city Councilman Jerald Hatch.

Orem city, which regulates the sewers in the area, held a meeting with officials from the Indian Oil Co. recently to discuss the issue.

The Indian Oil Co. officials, however, did not have representation at either the City Council meeting Tuesday or the Planning Commission meeting in late July.

"I don't think that the revocation is much of a surprise to them," said Lindon Mayor James Dain. "They shut down their operation and we had two meetings without any representation from them."

Although the business isn't currently in production, Lindon city officials said that work still has to be done to make the property safe.

"We are going to do follow-up site visits to make sure that tanks are drained, and make sure that the operation of the facility is safe," Cowie said.

Multiple attempts by the Daily Herald to contact Indian Oil Co. personnel were unsuccessful.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.