Rock County commissioners supported a closer look into Northern Con-Agg’s mining request in Luverne Township — specifically its effects on local drinking water.
The Dec. 28 decision supported findings from an environmental assessment worksheet recently completed by the county’s Land Management Office.
Eric Hartman, LMO director, said five comments were received during the 30-day comment period that ended Nov. 4.
Comments came from the city of Luverne, the state Department of Health, Southwest Regional Development Commission, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
“A number of concerns were raised from the comment period and were mainly focused on the position of negative impact to ground water from the removal of aggregate on the site,” Hartman said.
“Much of the area is located near the drinking water supply area for the city of Luverne.”
Northern Con-Agg proposed creating two mining tracts totaling 195 acres northeast of Luverne. The company currently owns and mines 86 acres near the proposed expansion site.
Mining at the expansion site would take place over a 20-year period. Three phases are planned with a portion of the mining area disturbed at one time. Depth of the mining would be 30 to 35 feet below the ground surface.
The proposed mining parcels are primarily agricultural land. A sizeable portion of the 195 acres is located within a flood plain with one acre located within a shoreline district.
Adjacent to the proposed expansion site are four drinking water wells for the city of Luverne. The closest well is 600 feet from the proposed site, and the entire proposed expansion is located within the city’s drinking water supply management site.
“If you strip all the aggregate out of here (at the proposed site), you’re going to lose that time of travel between that water body and these wells — basically the filtering capacity,” Hartman said.
The proposed site is also near a state wildlife management area and the Rock River, a critical habitat for the Topeka Shiner and Plains Topminnow.
The commissioners’ action means the expansion project cannot proceed until the more in-depth environment impact study is completed.
The study would outline the specifics of any potential environmental effects if the expansion is allowed to proceed as proposed.
Hartman said the study’s cost falls upon Northern Con-Agg, if it proceeds with the project. The company can also abandon and/or change plans for the proposed expansion.