A group of concerned community members who live near Emerald Sky Dairy are criticizing the DNR’s decision to allow the troubled facility to expand. As reported last week on St. Croix 360, the state recently announced it was approving an application to more than double the number of cows at the operation — and the amount of manure produced.

Several dozen citizens commented during a public input period last summer. In addition, 145 people signed a petition calling for stricter regulation of the pollution-plagued operation. “Emerald Clean Water For All” says those concerns have not been addressed.

“Promises given 25 years ago that this industrial dairy would not negatively impact our neighborhood have not been kept,” said Kim Dupre, former Emerald resident. “Government made this decision, not residents, to site this facility in the midst of a rural residential neighborhood. Thus, Government should own their decision and fix it.”

Between 2016 and 2019, the DNR recorded five violations of Emerald Sky’s previous permit. That includes a massive manure spill into a wetland near the farm site, which went undetected for months, and an incident when manure applied to fields rapidly ran off into nearby Hutton Creek, a designated trout stream, where it was documented to have killed fish.

Meanwhile, the amount of nitrate in neighborhood wells has spiked. Often caused by nitrogen in manure soaking into aquifers, excess nitrate is a health hazard linked to infant illness, cancer risks, and pregnancy problems.

At the nearby Emerald Town Hall, the well water was safe to drink when the well was drilled in 2007. Since then, the water has consistently had levels more than three times the drinking water standard. Emerald Sky significantly expanded in 2014 after an ownership change.

“Financial impacts [include] buying bottled water, even for pets, and having visitors call ahead of time to see if homeowners have tested their water prior to a visit,” said Emerald resident Virginia Drath. “That is the real life consequence of such neglect by our government officials.”

The group also points out that the manure being spread in the area is rich in nutrients that Minnesota and Wisconsin have agreed to reduce the flow of into the St. Croix River. Excess phosphorus is contributing to noxious algae blooms in Lake St. Croix, a popular boating, fishing, and swimming destination.

Emerald Clean Water For All says the DNR could have added requirements to the permit to prevent future pollution problems. The group says practices such as rotating crops and using cover crops wherever possible would make a difference.

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