Two North Dakota ethanol plants are allowing their grain storage licenses to lapse.

North Dakota's Public Service Commission has granted requests from Alchem Ltd. of Grafton and VeraSun Energy's Hankinson plant to allow their grain elevators to stop doing business.

Neither plant is producing ethanol right now. The Hankinson plant is under bankruptcy protection, and Alchem quit making fuel last October.

Commission President Kevin Cramer says it won't take long for either plant to be re-licensed if they start making ethanol again and need a license to store corn.

- Associated Press