Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Dan Olson, 218-846-7390 Moorhead, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has approved a request by the Clay County Board of Commissioners to transfer the oversight of feedlot operations in the county to the Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). The Minnesota County Feedlot Program allows the MPCA to transfer feedlot oversight duties to counties. Larger feedlots, those that require federal permits, are still regulated by the MPCA. Effective Dec. 1, 2007, Clay became the 55th county to be delegated in the feedlot program. There are 120 feedlots in Clay County. As part of the program, counties must designate a county feedlot officer who becomes the primary contact for feedlot operators. The Clay SWCD has named Craig Halverson its CFO. His responsibilities include registering feedlots, permitting, inspections, education and resolving complaints. As a cooperative program, the MPCA provides training, program oversight, policy and technical support, and formal enforcement support when needed. Minnesota adopted the delegated program because counties have considerable experience and sensitivity to local practices, conditions and zoning, that is useful in addressing permit and compliance concerns, says Mike Sharp, an MPCA feedlot program representative in Detroit Lakes. Counties are also able to use other local government services such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Minnesota Extension Service to perform many of the more technical requirements of the program. The MPCA regulates the collection, transportation, storage, processing and disposal of animal manure, and provides assistance to counties and the livestock industry. More information about feedlot regulation and assistance is available on the MPCA Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us.