Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Forrest Peterson, 320-214-3789 Brainerd, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for a proposed swine facility about four miles southwest of Bertha in Todd County. The EAW, which describes potential impacts on land use, water quality and air quality, is open for public review and comment through Aug. 29, 2007. Minnkota North LLP, plans to build a new swine gestation and farrowing facility housing a total of 4,110 head in Section 28 of Bertha Township. The total confinement facility will consist of a gestation barn for up to 2,310 sows, a 480-head farrowing barn, and a nursery/finishing barn for 920 finishers and 400 nursery pigs. Manure will be collected and stored in reinforced concrete pits beneath the barns. Each fall, the manure will be pumped from the facility and injected at agronomic rates into designated cropland as fertilizer. The EAW provides basic information on how a proposed project could potentially affect the environment. During the 30-day period it is open to public review and comment. Comments on the EAW should be submitted to the MPCA in writing by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 29, 2007 to Chai Insook, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., St. Paul, MN 55155-4194, or by fax to 651-297-2343. The MPCA will use these comments to evaluate the potential for significant environmental effects from the project, and to decide if an Environmental Impact Statement (a more comprehensive environmental review) is needed. Copies of the Minnkota North EAW are available for review at: - MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Rd. N. - MPCA Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/news/eaw/index.html - Staples Library, 611 Iowa Avenue NE. - MPCA Brainerd office, 1800 College Rd. S., Baxter. Copies may also be requested directly from the MPCA by calling 651-297-8510. Questions about the project should be directed to Chai Insook at 651-296-7718; or 1-800-657-3864 (toll free/TTY). Information about the permit application and associated documents, including the air emissions and odor management plan, animal mortality plan, emergency response plan and manure management plan, is available by contacting Gary Lackey, MPCA Detroit Lakes office, 218-846-7391, or Jenny Magyar, MPCA Brainerd office, 218-825-3052.