This guide provides instructions on how to navigate Minnesota CAFO databases, find pending CAFO permit applications, find past CAFO violations, create custom aerial maps of CAFOs, and more. If you have any questions or comments, please contact: WaterRangers@sraproject.org.

MPCA Permits on Public Notice

• Use this MPCA site to find permits on public notice.
• Select “Feedlot Permit” under the Type filter
• View the list of pending permit applications. 
• Select “Review Documents” to view the public notice and permit application.
• Select “Comment Now” to make a public comment or request a public informational meeting. Visit SRAP’s Minnesota Permits on Public Notice page for more information on submitting a comment or requesting an informational meeting.

MPCA What’s in My Neighborhood Map

Use MPCA’s mapping site to find permitted facilities and their permit documents.

To find a facility on the map and its permit documents:

• To find a facility using the map, select “Map Search.”
  • Enter the address in the search bar at the top of the page.
  • Select the dot at the address and click “More info.”
  • View facility information including facility details and facility documents.
• To find a facility using the advanced search filters:
  • Click “Text Search” in the upper left of the page.
  • Click “Advanced Search.”
  • Under Activity Type, select “Feedlots.”
  • Enter other important information, including site name, owner name, permit ID, county, and watershed.
  • Click on the site name for more information or download search results into a spreadsheet.

MPCA Enforcement Action Data

Use this site to find enforcement actions and violations for permitted Minnesota facilities. 

To find enforcement actions:

• Under “Enforcement reports and announcements,” select an annual report to view enforcement actions. Feedlot violations are indicated under the Violations column.

NEPAssist

Use this tool to map CAFOs and impaired waterways.

• Click “Launch the NEPAssist Tool” on right.
• Type the address/city/location you want to view on the top left.
• Go to the drop-down menu under “Basemap” on the top menu. Click “Bing Maps Hybrid” to add a satellite image base map.
• Use the “Select Map Contents” section on the right to add layers to the map.
• To make an impaired waterway map:
  • Click the + sign next to “Water”
  • Click “Impaired Streams” 
  • Click “Impaired Waterbodies”
  • Print or save map
• You can add more layers by clicking each + beside other map layer items to make maps with more/different information.

Enviromapper

Use this tool to map impaired waterways and find impaired waterway reports indicating the reason for impairment.

• Enter a location such as address, zip, city, county, waterbody, park name, etc. (e.g., 22207; Arlington, VA; Jones Creek; etc.)
• Click “More Data” at top
• Click “Additional Data Layers”
• Click “Water Features”
• Click “Impaired Streams”
• Click “Impaired Waterbodies”
• If you click the red impairment line, you’ll get a text box
• Click “MORE INFO” next to the “WaterbodyReportLink;” this will give you the cause of impairment on the right side of your screen
• Print or save.

FWS Wetland Mapper

Use this site to identify wetlands near CAFOs.

• Click the “Wetlands Mapper” link at the bottom of the page to launch the map
• On the left, there will be two drop-down boxes:
  • Base Maps Includes:
    • Streets 
    • Satellite 
    • Hybrid 
    • Topo 
    • Terrain 
    • Gray 
    • Open Street Map 
    • NATGEO 
    • USGS Topo 
    • NAT’L MAP 
  • Map Layers Includes:
    • Wetlands 
    • Riparian 
    • Riparian Mapping Areas 
    • Areas of Interest 
    • FWS Managed Lands 
    • Historic Wetland Data 
• Choose your preferred basemap, then click all boxes under Map Layers
  • The USGS Topo basemap provides a topographic map with waterways; the Satellite basemap shows an aerial view of the land
• Type an address or coordinates 
• Zoom in or out to adjust picture 
• Wetlands will be shown on the map 
• Take your arrow and click on wetland
  • A box will open to give total acreage of wetland and a description 
• To measure the distance from a wetland to a CAFO:
  • Click “Measure” in the upper left corner
  • Click the ruler with arrows going left and right above it
  • Click your cursor on the map and drag it to the location to which you want to measure
  • View the distance in the gray box
• To measure the acreage of an area:
  • Click “Measure” in the upper left corner
  • Select the ruler icon with a green shape behind it
  • Select points on the map to measure the acreage of an area
  • De-select the ruler icon to exit the tool
• Click Print on the map to create a physical copy

Water Quality Standards by State

Use this site to find your state’s water quality standards.

• • Scroll down to the colorful map of the United States.
  • Click the state for which you want to find water quality standards.
  • Use the links under “State Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes” to find water quality standards in the state.