CHS2JAMESTOWN — Alan and Genny Lindberg have a home in rural Stutsman County that now stands at the center of a dispute that has stalled a planned $3 billion fertilizer plant.

The Fargo Fourm reports that he Lindbergs’ property includes a lake they have stocked with fish and use for recreation. It was created by a dam built in 1958 for industrial purposes, a gravel operation.

The couple has objected to a water permit seeking to pump water from the Spiritwood Aquifer for the proposed CHS plant, at Spiritwood.

They contend they would be “unduly affected” by the groundwater pumping permit and in late April asked for a hearing before an administrative law judge to hear their concerns. The request is still pending.

The Lindbergs are not trying to block the fertilizer plant project, but have understandable concerns about the lake,

The Stutsman Rural Water District, which is seeking the permit on behalf of the CHS project, said extensive analysis by consulting hydrologists and the State Water Commission determined the permit would not impair the aquifer.

State Water Commission hydrologists recommend approval of the permit, subject to certain conditions, after concluding the aquifer could sustain the withdrawals, even during dry periods.

Despite those findings, Alan Lindberg, a Jamestown businessman, believes the lake by his home could be jeopardized.

　

Spiritwood Energy Park 10 miles northeast of Jamestown, would use an average of 3,800 gallons per minute of water, peaking at 4,200 gallons per minute, mostly for cooling. To meet that demand, CHS proposes to use water from the Jamestown Aquifer when the James River is high and, during drier periods, the Spiritwood Aquifer, as well as reused industrial “gray water.”

Industrial water would come from the nearby Cargill malting plant, which would supply about a third of the water, with about two-thirds coming from groundwater, according to State Water Commission figures.

Gray water also would come from other plants at Spiritwood Energy Park: Dakota Spirit AgEnergy and Great River Energy’s 99-megawatt power plant.

Still, the planned Spiritwood Regional Wastewater Reuse Facility would need 2,325 gallons per minute of groundwater, according to the State Water Commission.