Two days after its grand opening celebration, the Ventura County Biodiesel Cooperative trailer in the Ojai Valley was closed this week after the county's fire, environmental and planning departments raised concerns.

The trailer, stationed on HELP of Ojai's property on Baldwin Road, had been providing members of the cooperative with biodiesel fuel since May. It had a grand opening Saturday then closed on Monday. The operators now say they will move the trailer into Ojai city limits or possibly Camarillo.

Greg Smith, manager of the county's Hazardous Materials and Medical Waste Section, said concerns were raised after a story about the trailer's grand opening was published July 18 in The Star. He said the county fire and planning departments also responded.

Smith said the cooperative did not submit a business plan to the county Environmental Health Division as required, including chemical information and the amount of substances stored.

Bill Nash, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department, said an inspector was sent to the site because the cooperative had not submitted a request for a dispensing permit.

The county did not order the trailer closed. J.R. Jones, HELP of Ojai's executive director, said his organization asked the cooperative to remove the trailer from the property after the county raised concerns. He said he has no plans of getting a permit to allow the trailer back.

Kent Bullard, co-founder of the Los Angeles Biodiesel Cooperative, said the group didn't know it needed to submit information to the county. Bullard's nonprofit Southern California Biodiesel Users Group leased the trailer to the Ventura County Biodiesel Cooperative.

Christopher "Topher" Blunt, co-founder of the Ventura County cooperative, questioned whether there were concrete county regulations, because it was the first biodiesel trailer station in the county.

"It's not that we broke any rules. It's just that the rules aren't real clear," Blunt said. "This is brand new. The county has never had one of these before."

Smith said there is a misconception that biodiesel fuel is no more than cooking grease. He said it is actually a hazardous material.

"Biodiesel is chemically changed from cooking grease to a fuel. It's combustible," Smith said. "In the chemical conversion process, there are residuals left in the fuel. There is almost about 1 percent regular diesel added in every gallon."

Smith said the material, however, was not the department's concern.

"We don't have a problem with a business being there having hazardous materials," Smith said. "They just need to follow procedures."

Smith said no fines were imposed by Environmental Health. Nash said the Fire Department also has not issued citations.

Bullard said the cooperative is working on moving the trailer to city land in Ojai or a site in Camarillo. In the meantime, he's not sure how cooperative members will get fuel.

"This is one of the things that happens when you trailblaze," said Blunt.