Pinnacle Dairy, LLC CAFO Permit
Pinnacle Dairy is an existing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). Pinnacle Dairy is owned and operated by Pinnacle Dairy, LLC and Pinnacle Land Holdings, LLC. Pinnacle Dairy is operated by Tuls Dairies. The facility has 5,800 milking and dry cows and no replacement animals on site for a total of 8,294 animal units. Calves and heifers are raised off site at custom raiser facilities not associated with the farm.
The farm has six sand bedded tunnel ventilated freestall barns, a milking parlor and holding area, one concrete lined waste storage facility, three high density polyethylene (HDPE) lined and covered waste storage facilities, sand settling lanes and storage area, manure solids separation building, office and weigh scale, and a feed storage complex which includes a feed storage slab, a leachate collection pond, a commodity shed and eight hay sheds. The site also includes one stormwater detention pond and a series of swales and culverts to handle stormwater flow on the site. Pinnacle Dairy, LLC has installed two high capacity water supply wells along Decatur Sylvester Road to service the dairy facility.
The Pinnacle Dairy Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) has been conditionally approved. There are 6,692.3 acres available for land application of manure and process wastewater. All of the acreage is under contract.
Permit issuance background
On April 25, 2018 the Department of Natural Resources issued a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit to Pinnacle Dairy, LLC, a proposed Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) in Green County. The department public noticed its intent to issue a WPDES permit to Pinnacle Dairy on August 11 and 16, 2017 and a subsequent public hearing was held on September 15, 2017. The issued WPDES permit and the department’s Notice of Final Determination on its decision to issue a WPDES permit to Pinnacle Dairy are included in the document table below. The Notice of Final Determination includes a summary of all comments received during the public comment period and the department’s response. It also includes a list of all changes made from the public noticed version of the permit to the issued permit. WPDES permits are water quality protection permits designed to ensure proper storage and handling of manure and process wastewater from larger-scale livestock operations. The WPDES permit program does not address odor, noise, traffic or other issues not related to water quality.
Groundwater and monitoring well installation
In January 2016 (prior to the permit being issued) the department completed review and approval of groundwater quality monitoring plans and specifications for the production area. This document can be found in the “Plans and Specifications” table below. The WPDES permit required installation of four monitoring wells around the production area of the farm by October 1, 2018.
The WPDES permit also required Pinnacle Dairy to submit plans and specifications for seven other monitoring wells around the manure storage units by June 1, 2018. The permit required the installation of the new monitoring wells by October 1, 2018.
Contested case and settlement
On June 22, 2018 the Town of Sylvester and seven citizens petitioned the department for review of Pinnacle Dairy’s WPDES permit. The petitioners sought review of a number of permit terms including the adequacy of the groundwater monitoring required by the permit. While the contested case was pending, Pinnacle Dairy was not required to comply with the schedule for installation of groundwater monitoring wells. On August 28, 2019 the petitioners, the department, and Pinnacle Dairy reached agreement which settled the contested case. As a result of this settlement, the schedules for installation of the groundwater monitoring system require a change. In accordance with s. 283.53(2), Wis. Stat., Pinnacle Dairy has requested the department modify these permit schedules accordingly.
The department is proposing to modify the permit to reflect the agreed upon schedule date changes. Below is an excerpt from the proposed permit showing the modified due dates. Required actions have not changed.
Proposed modified schedule dates
Production Site - Groundwater Monitoring Wells
| Required Action | Due Date |
|---|---|
| Installation: Complete well installation in accordance with ch. NR 141, Wis. Adm. Code, and the approved plans and specifications by the specified Date Due or the introduction of cattle to the farm, whichever comes first. (Note: Documentation of well construction must be submitted to the department within 60 days of well installation.) | 09/01/2020 |
Waste Storage Facility (WSF) - Groundwater Monitoring Wells
| Required Action | Due Date |
|---|---|
| Plans and Specifications: Submit plans and specifications for installation of the monitoring wells specified in the Groundwater Monitoring Section, (WSF Groundwater Monitoring System for WSF Groundwater Monitoring). This is for MW-10 (810), MW-11 (811), MW-12 (812), MW-13 (813), MW-14 (814), MW-15 (815), MW-16 (816). | 05/01/2020 |
| Installation: Complete well installation in accordance with ch, NR 141, Wis. Adm. Code, and the approved plans and specifications by the specified Date Due or the introduction of cattle to the farm, whichever comes first. (Note: Documentation of well construction must be submitted to the department within 60 days of well installation.) | 09/01/2020 |
WPDES permit application and related documents
| Document/document type | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| WPDES permit documents |
|
Mark Cain |
| WPDES permit application forms [DNR FTP] |
WPDES permit application forms and general operation information including:
|
Mark Cain |
| Design plans [DNR FTP] |
Design plans for manure storage, feed storage and other structures. |
Bernie Michaud |
| Nutrient management plan [DNR FTP] | Nutrient management plans, including:
|
Aaron O’Rourke |