October 2024

At North Country Dairy, we are committed to keeping our community informed about our ongoing efforts to address environmental concerns in the community. To honor this pledge, we’d like to share an update on our progress.

Preliminary Investigation Completed:
As mentioned at the community meeting North Country Dairy hosted in August, we have commissioned a third-party subject matter expert to conduct an Environmental Assessment Preliminary Survey of Deer River, with the goal of better understanding both the presence of leptomitus lacteus (aka “sewage fungus”) in the river and the results of the investigation performed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

An environmental and water quality survey was performed across various points along Deer River, with samples taken from 10 locations. No leptomitus lacteus was observed, dissolved oxygen levels were adequate, and fish were observed in the river. 

You can read the Technical Memo in full below.

Collaboration with Regulatory Agencies:
We have responded to a proposed Order on Consent from DEC and a Request for Information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As North Country Dairy indicated to these agencies, it is committed (and has already begun) to prepare two robust studies to better understand and address the environmental concerns:

1. Wastewater Treatment Analysis Report: We are conducting a thorough evaluation of our wastewater treatment process. This evaluation, which includes sampling of the lagoons, intermediate sampling throughout the system, and a lagoon sludge analysis, will help identify areas for improvement and ensure our operations meet the highest environmental industry standards.
2. Facility Engineering Study: This Study will evaluate the recent changes observed in Deer River to our wastewater discharges, as related to leptomitus lacteus. Further, this study will evaluate our wastewater treatment facility design performance, as related to the facility’s discharges. The study will evaluate at least three alternatives for operational or process changes to our wastewater treatment system, and develop recommendations for improved operations and maintenance, if applicable, while ensuring our operations meet the highest environmental industry standards.

We expect to receive results from the Wastewater Treatment Analysis Report and Facility Engineering Study by Q1 2025 and Q2 2025, respectively. This robust analysis to be taken by North Country Dairy will provide a better understanding of the community’s concerns and guide us in developing sustainable and holistic long-term solutions.

Our Ongoing Commitment:
We understand the importance of transparency and accountability. We will continue to provide regular updates on our website as these studies progress.

We are dedicated to being a responsible member of the North Lawrence community. We value your trust and are committed to working together to protect our shared environment.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Kevin J. Ellis
CEO, Upstate Niagara Cooperative