Contact: Dan Olson, 218-846-8101 or 800-657-3864
Detroit Lakes, Minn.-- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is inviting public comment on an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and discharge permit for construction of two manure stockpiling buildings and retrofitting of a total confinement poultry barn operated by Baers Poultry in Eglon Township in Clay County.
The project would take place in two phases, with completion dates in 2013 and 2018. In each phase, Baers Poultry would build one 40- by-150-foot roofed manure stockpiling building and retrofit one-half of the existing barn with new manure drying/conveyor equipment. This will enable the facility to convert from a liquid manure-based system to a dry manure-based handling/storage system. This will allow the operation to increase capacity from 144,000 birds to 294,912 birds while reducing the number of animal units from 4,752 to 885. This is because the volume of manure associated with a dry manure system is lower than for a liquid manure handling/storage system. When the project is completed, an existing clay-lined liquid manure storage basin will be taken out of service.
An EAW is a preliminary review of how a proposed project could potentially affect the environment. The EAW also helps the MPCA determine whether an Environmental Impact Statement (a more in-depth environmental review) is needed.
Copies of the Baers Poultry EAW are available for review on the MPCA Public Notices web page; at the MPCA Detroit Lakes office, 714 Lake Ave.; and at the MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road N. Or, to request a copy of the EAW from the MPCA, call 651-757-2101.
Written comments on the Baers Poultry EAW should be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2012, to Charles Peterson, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194, or sent to Peterson by fax (651-297-2343) or by email (charles.peterson@state.mn.us).
Other inquiries related to this project should be directed to Peterson at 651-757-2856 or 800-657-3864, or by email.
A copy of the NPDES/SDS discharge permit for the project is also available for review and comment on the MPCA Public Notices web page.
Additional information on the environmental review process is available on the Web at http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/eqb/pdf/envreview.pdf.
