ZUMBROTA, Minn. (AP) - Opponents of a proposed 4,700-hog farm in southeastern Minnesota aren’t giving up, even though the state Pollution Control Agency has approved the environmental review for the project.
The proposed Circle K Family Farm would feature a pit for storing up to 1.54 million gallons of liquid manure annually, the Post-Bulletin reported (https://bit.ly/2kvd8wG ).
Kristi Rosenquist, who lives near the proposed facility about five miles outside Zumbrota, said she still plans to attend a Monday meeting with John Linc Stine, the agency’s commissioner.
“The (environmental assessment worksheet) has flaws,” Rosenquist said. “We’ll be talking to Commissioner Stine about that.”
Kim Grosenheider, a project manager for environmental review with the agency, said it’s common to have an environmental assessment worksheet with missing data, but that it’s important to make sure there is enough data to make an informed decision about the impact a project will have on the environment.
She said the commissioner’s decision to sign off on the environmental review of the project was based on the original environmental assessment worksheet and all public feedback.
“This is how it’s designed to work,” Grosenheider said. “I would prefer to have a document that doesn’t have any problems. We take in whatever concerns they have, and we evaluate it.”
Rosenquist said the next step to fight against the farm comes at the county level.
“I might be less concerned if there wasn’t just error after error after error in the EAW,” Rosenquist said. “They didn’t talk to the neighbors. They didn’t make any effort.”
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Information from: Post-Bulletin, https://www.postbulletin.com
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