Riverview LLP is seeking to expand its existing West River Dairy facility near Morris from 7,855 cows to a total capacity of 18,855 cows. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has completed a required environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) for the project and determined an environmental impact study (EIS) is not required.
With completion of the EAW process, the MPCA will move forward on issuing West River Dairy’s feedlot permit. This permit includes proposed construction of animal holding areas, liquid manure storage areas, permanent stockpiles, and feed storage areas at the facility.
Read the MPCA’s West River Dairy Findings of Fact package.
Location
Community meeting
A public meeting about the EAW and feedlot permit was held on April 28, 2026, at The South Side Event Center and Reception Hall in Morris.
- (April 28, 2026)
Review public comments
The comment period has closed for the draft permit and environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) for the proposed West River Dairy expansion. Public comments and MPCA responses are included in the Findings of Fact package.
Our role
Certain proposed projects — based on their nature or location, — must go through the environmental review process before any required permits or approvals can be issued.
An environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) is a document designed to lay out a project’s basic facts and assess its potential for significant environmental effects, which determines if an environmental impact statement (EIS) is required. An EAW is not an approval of the project. It is an information-gathering document used to inform decision-makers including those issuing land use and environmental permits that are required for the project.
State law outlines four criteria the MPCA must consider when reviewing the EAW, written comments, permit applications, and other relevant information to determine whether the MPCA Commissioner should order additional environmental review in the form of an EIS. The criteria are:
- the type, extent and reversibility of environmental effects
- the potential for cumulative environmental effects
- the extent to which the environmental effects are subject to mitigation
- the extent to which the environmental effects can be anticipated and controlled
Feedlot permits authorize construction and operation of an animal feedlot facility in accordance with permit requirements to protect our lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and groundwater. Those permits are designed to protect human health and the environment and follow current state and federal laws and regulations. The MPCA ensures that the public and all stakeholders have the opportunity to learn about, understand, and provide feedback on the permits it issues. The project will also require a water appropriation from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that will manage groundwater for the project sustainably.
In February 2026, the MPCA released both the EAW and a draft feedlot permit for Riverview LLP’s proposed expansion of its West River Dairy facility.
The feedlot permit requires the facility to be designed, operated, and maintained to prevent manure, process wastewater, and stormwater from polluting water, except in an extreme storm event. Operators are required to apply manure to farm fields at agronomic rates, observe water setbacks, and maintain records of land application activities, including location, timing, and rate of application.
The MPCA opened 30-day public comment periods on both the EAW and draft feedlot permit, ending March 13, 2026. The agency extended the comment period to May 7, 2026, based on public interest and to include written comments submitted during and after a public meeting.
The MPCA held a public meeting attended by about 450 people on April 28, 2026, in Morris to present information about the EAW and feedlot permit processes and hear public input. The meeting provided an opportunity for the public to provide written comments, ask questions and offer oral comments, which were not be recorded as part of the public comments.
Next steps
The MPCA has determined there is no need for additional environmental review and will move forward with issuing West River Dairy’s feedlot permit.
