"The Catalpa project is the first big new feedlot application we’ve had in Fillmore County since extensive data on nitrate contamination of drinking water wells has come out," Stine said in a statement in the release, which goes on to say the issue is bigger than any one feedlot or farm, and that it would be unfair to place responsibility for the "broad issue of existing nitrate contamination of groundwater onto one farmer."
The proposed 4,890-head swine facility was to be located 10 miles east of Harmony in Newburg Township.
MPCA officials have said it would have generated an estimated 7.3 million gallons of liquid manure annually that would have been stored in reinforced concrete pits below the barns.
However, a release then said two parties reviewing the report – a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources geophysicist and a retired earth sciences professor – submitted comments that "differ with the consultant’s methods and interpretations."
After deciding on additional investigation, and needing more time to respond to 771 comment letters, the MPCA delayed a decision on an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposal.
However, a release Tuesday stated that because the permit has now been denied, a decision on whether to deny or approve requests for an EIS for the project is not needed at this time.
The release said more than 700 people attended the two public meetings held on the proposal in June and earlier this month.
The owner of the feedlot, Al Hein, tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he will apply for the individual permit.
Al Hein is the owner.
KSTP regrets the error.