Winona County Planning and Environmental Services Director is recommending the City of St. Charles take the lead in Farm2Rail's permitting process as the private company seeks to get approval of its plan to develop 300 acres next to the City.
                     
The St. Charles Press reports Jason Gilman told the city council that because of the proximity of the property to the east side of St. Charles, the city could lose control over regulation of it if the approval were granted by Winona County.

Farm2Rail's Geoff Griffin told the council his firm would like to move forward with an Environmental Assessment Worksheet so that questions and concerns about the project from the St. Charles community would be answered.

The city council approved a motion to send a letter to Winona County to see if the county board would endorse Gilman's recommendation......

Meanwhile, a citizen's opposition group held a public meeting Wednesday evening at St.Charles Elementary School to discuss its concerns and present information to the public.

The meeting drew a large crowd including a Mayo Clinic physician who presented information on the potential effects on humans from frac sand dust that could be created if the Farm2Rail proposal goes through.....