The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is inviting the public to comment on a proposed dairy expansion in west central Minnesota. West River Dairy proposes to expand its existing facility from 7,855 dairy cows to allow for a total capacity of 18,855 dairy cows. The MPCA will accept public comments on the proposal’s environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) through March 12, 2026.
Cows will be housed in a cross-ventilated barn with clay-lined basins to collect and store manure and wastewater. Liquid manure will be land applied as fertilizer on cropland. The expansion will include covered liquid manure storage basins, water storage basins, and require 13,200 acres of land for manure application.
Those who wish to comment on the EAW should consider the EAW’s accuracy, potential impacts from the project that warrant further investigation, or the need for an environmental impact statement. The EAW reviewed potential impacts to air, local geology, soils, groundwater, surface water, and other potential environmental impacts. Some key findings include:
- The expansion will add five covered liquid manure storage basins. This will increase liquid manure storage capacity from 102 million gallons to 250 million gallons.
- Pumping from an off-site well will be limited to 226 million gallons per year at a rate not to exceed 1,000 gallons per minute. Pumping is subject to restrictions, which are based on the flow conditions of the Pomme de Terre River.
- West River Dairy will construct water storage basins to store a contingency water supply in case off-site well pumping is limited during low-flow periods.
- Clean stormwater will be collected using existing infrastructure to direct runoff into the water storage basins. Clean stormwater does not come into contact with manure or feed storage areas.
The public can review the draft EAW and submit public comments by visiting the Smart Comment portal on the MPCA website or by mail to:
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
c/o Charles Peterson
520 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
After the public comment period ends, the agency will review all comments and determine whether additional environmental review will be necessary. If the agency determines there is no need for additional environmental review, the project will proceed through permitting.