Last Wednesday, many of us attended or followed the Stevens County Planning Commission meeting with real concern for the future of our community. People came with different perspectives, including those who support Riverview’s proposal and those worried about its long-term impacts. Our county leaders owe all of us a careful, transparent decision that puts the people who live here first.
The Planning Commission recommended approving Riverview’s proposal with 14 conditions, and I appreciate there was an effort to respond to public concerns. Still, those conditions don’t go far enough.
None of them appear to require the kind of comprehensive, independent water study that many residents have been asking for — one that looks closely at the aquifer, the Pomme de Terre watershed, and the concerns raised by the DNR about the connection between the aquifer and the Pomme de Terre River. Before approving what has been described as the largest dairy expansion in state history, our county should have the most comprehensive information in-hand.
State regulators have declined to require a full environmental impact statement, making the county’s role more important, not less. Local control means that local officials can ask hard questions, set meaningful standards, and protect the public resources our families, farms, businesses, and communities depend on.
This decision is not final. The Planning Commission’s vote is a recommendation, and the final responsibility now rests with the Board of Commissioners.
In other communities, Riverview projects have been slowed or stopped because local elected officials listened to residents, asked tough questions, and used their authority to protect their communities. That kind of leadership takes work and real courage, and I hope we see the same commitment here in Stevens County.
This is not about being “anti-agriculture.” It is about making sure growth happens in a way that protects our drinking water, our family farms, our roads, and the long-term health of Stevens County. I urge the Board to require a comprehensive water study and real, enforceable protections before moving this proposal forward. Our community deserves nothing less.
Sandy Fernow
Morris
