To the Editor,
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) decision to roll over and permit the doubling of the Daley mega-dairy near Lewiston shows how industry has captured the very agency that is responsible for protecting our environment and neighbors. As an elder who was born and raised in karst country, I remember when the MPCA was established to “protect and improve the environment and enhance human health.” We could count on it to use science, and to stand up to businesses that would harm Minnesota’s environment, people, and future. This recent decision to allow the Daley Dairy project (despite MPCA staff’s admission that they did not have enough data to assess harmful impacts) shows that the agency has forgotten its original mission and betrayed the public trust. Furthermore, it overrules Winona County’s right of local control to prevent expansion of non-conforming land uses. In response, each of us can straighten our spine and remind our officials to do their jobs and act for a healthy future.
Bonita Underbakke
Lanesboro, Minn.