The City P-U-tiful
On July 31, 2023, the City of New Richmond notified residents that the application for the rezoning of property by Nature Energy for the purpose of a manure digester had been withdrawn. Within the last 5-6 weeks, residents in New Richmond organized and created a NO MANURE DIGESTER group. Through door-to-door contacts, phone calls, emails, and social media, the group gathered over 600+ signatures on a change.org petition, organized opposition at a public information session, and filled City Council meeting rooms with their voices. At the annual fun fest parade, some members of the group distributed buttons wearing bright yellow “NO Manure Digester” shirts. The group’s Facebook page shared information and data on failed digesters as well as shared information to the public about an open records request that had not been processed by City officials. This, in addition to the approval of an inadequate and incomplete land rezoning application, contributed to the overall distrust of the community of city administration.
Article written by Pam Fricke and published in the Hudson Star Observer
New Richmond, which prides itself as “The City Beautiful,” could be looking for a new tagline, if the City Council gives the okay to a manure digester to be built west of town off Highway 64.
Monday, June 12, folks gathered in the evening at city hall to speak in opposition to a zoning change passed by the Planning Council the previous Thursday. But shortly after the crowd packed the room, and the group said the Pledge of Allegiance, which any school kid will tell you includes the words, “with liberty and justice for all,” the mayor and council voted unanimously to postpone the zoning decision and shut down any discussion of the topic. No justice and no date or time given.
With some scraping of chairs and grumbling, the group left the room to gather on the sidewalk to express their concerns about the project.
“What are they thinking? There’ll be no money in it for the city. The company won’t pay taxes because it is an alternative energy.”
“There isn’t enough poop in St Croix County to keep the digester running. They’ll have to truck in manure from outside the county. Think of the truck traffic and what it will do to our roads.”
“I’m worried about the byproduct, which will be spread on farm fields in our county. Heavy in phosphorus and nitrates, this so-called fertilizer will travel through our delicate limestone karst into our water supply.”
“And the smell… What about the smell of all that manure? So close to the city…”
About that tagline, should we be anticipating “New Richmond, the City P-U-tiful” unless Mayor Jim and his council come to their senses?
Nature Energy, now owned by Shell Oil, won’t give up until it locates the manure digester in western Wisconsin. We need to make it clear: They are not welcome here.
Correction since publication: One City Council member, Ron Volkert voted against postponing the agenda item. Note: Ron Volkert has been vocal about his opposition to the manure digester.