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Board approves Northstar RNG conditional-use permit with added monitoring and connection conditions
Summary
Todd County commissioners granted a conditional-use permit to Northstar RNG LLC to build and operate an anaerobic digester on Dairy Ridge property, adopting the planning commission's recommended conditions plus three additional conditions including verification of pipeline interconnection, a prohibition on trucking gas offsite without review, and an agreed review schedule.
The Todd County Board of Commissioners voted on Oct. 1 to adopt the planning commission's findings and grant a conditional-use permit (CUP) to Northstar RNG LLC for construction and operation of an anaerobic digester on Dairy Ridge property in Long Prairie Township.
Planning staff identified nine conditions recommended by the planning commission, including required permits from other agencies (for example the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), construction stormwater requirements, engineered plans, on-site safety and emergency-response meetings with local public-safety agencies, a restriction that the digester be limited to manure feedstock unless the planning commission later reviews a conversion, and performance and closure responsibilities should the facility be abandoned.
During the public proceedings, developer Mark Hill and planning staff answered commissioners' questions about who would hold the recorded permit (applicant Northstar as operator; Dairy Ridge as landowner), potential pipeline interconnection (CenterPoint discussed as likely utility), and alternatives if a utility intertie could not be secured (e.g., trucking is expensive and would require further review).
Commissioners expressed particular concern about enforcement and public-safety oversight. The board added three additional conditions before granting the CUP: verification of an interconnection agreement with a public pipeline (to be provided before issuing land-use permits or recording the CUP), a prohibition on trucking gas from the site absent a future planning commission review, and a documented review schedule to monitor compliance (board discussion referenced a six-month review interval for early operations). The motion to grant the CUP to Northstar on Dairy Ridge property with twelve total conditions passed.
Next steps: staff will amend the board action language to record the applicant and landowner consistently, secure required verification from the developer, and record the CUP per county procedures.
