Pro-frac sand interests suing Winona County in southeastern Minnesota have attempted to block the Land Stewardship Project’s (LSP) participation in the defense of the county’s historic ban on any new frac sand operations. Attorneys with Minneapolis corporate law firms Larkin Hoffman and Faegre Baker Daniels have filed objections to LSP’s intent to intervene in the legal case.

Larkin Hoffman represents an entity calling itself “Southeast Minnesota Property Owners,” for which the address provided in the lawsuit is identical to Larkin Hoffman’s Minneapolis address. Only one member of this so-called group has identified himself, and the source(s) of its financial backing are unknown. Faegre Baker Daniels is representing frac sand mine proposer Minnesota Sands, LLC, whose backers or funders are also unknown.

LSP is disappointed, but not surprised, that the powerful interests opposing Winona County’s frac sand ban would want to block a grassroots people’s organization from having a say in this case. Unlike Larkin Hoffman, Faegre Baker Daniels and their mysterious plaintiffs, our members who live, farm, work and raise their families in Winona County have a true stake in what happens here, having worked hard to protect the community from outside corporate interests pushing frac sand development.

LSP now intends to file a formal motion to intervene, and the judge will ultimately rule on whether to allow LSP’s participation in the case.

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