Wright County finds no EIS warranted for Knife River Holthouse pit expansion after EAW review

The Wright County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution Tuesday finding that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not warranted for Knife River’s proposed Holthouse pit expansion in Buffalo Township.

County planning staff said Knife River authored an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for the project, which would expand the mine’s overall footprint to about 200 acres with roughly 50 acres of additional excavation; the existing operation was approved in 2005 for about 80 acres. Staff reviewed and edited the EAW, published it and responded to two comment letters before recommending that a full EIS was unnecessary.

Planning staff noted the current action is limited to the EAW/EIS determination; any final permitting and the conditional interim use permit (IUP) expansion must still proceed through the Planning and Zoning process. Commissioner Moina moved to adopt resolution 2,559; Commissioner Shane seconded. The resolution passed unanimously.

Speakers included county planning staff and members of the board. Staff indicated public comments received were from MnDOT and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR); no township comments beyond the packet were recorded in the transcript.

The recommendation that an EIS is not required clears the way for further local permitting steps but does not itself authorize excavation or permit changes. Those project approvals remain subject to Planning and Zoning review and any applicable state approvals.