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Stearns County, Minnesota: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Stearns County is 137.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Non-Hodgkin lymphoma deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 606 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (92), Rail grade crossing (86), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (70). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 45.5284, -94.6408.

How this county ranks in Minnesota

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Stearns County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	39.4	23.8	1.66xSignificant	35.1 to 44	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	7.6	4.8	1.58xSignificant	5.9 to 9.6	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4.9	3.4	1.44xSignificant	3.5 to 6.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	24	18.5	1.3xSignificant	20.9 to 27.5	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	22	17.9	1.23xSignificant	18.9 to 25.5	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	4.8	4.1	1.17x	3.5 to 6.4	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	21.7	18.7	1.16xSignificant	18.8 to 24.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	6.6	5.7	1.16x	5.1 to 8.5	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	470.1	453.4	1.04xSignificant	455.7 to 484.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	53.5	51.8	1.03x	48.8 to 58.4	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	13.4	13	1.03x	10.9 to 16.4	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	14.8	14.5	1.02x	12.4 to 17.6	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	14.1	13.9	1.01x	11.7 to 16.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	30.4	30.2	1.01x	26.9 to 34.1	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	4.5	4.6	0.98x	3.3 to 6.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.4	6.6	0.97x	4.9 to 8.3	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	137.9	143.2	0.96x	130.5 to 145.7	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.3	8.7	0.95x	6.5 to 10.5	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	3.4	3.7	0.92x	2.3 to 4.8	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	14.6	16.4	0.89x	9.2 to 21.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	9.8	11.3	0.87x	7.9 to 12.1	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.3	6.2	0.85x	3.8 to 7.1	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.7	2	0.85x	0.9 to 2.7	2020-2024
Stomach	New cases	4.2	6.6	0.64x	3 to 5.8	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	2.7	4.4	0.61x	1.7 to 4	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Stearns County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,211.1	9,842.6	-37%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	41	59.8	-31%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.7	6.2	-24%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	67.6	96.9	-30%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	16.4	28.6	-43%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde14.27 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.97 per million
Benzene2.08 per million
Naphthalene1.31 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 357 days: 270 good, 11 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 37, peak 165.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

606 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Air permit holder (minor source)92
Rail grade crossing86
NPDES wastewater discharge permit70
Gas station (mapped facility)69
Industrial wastewater discharge68
Small hazardous waste generator54
Brownfield property35
Solar power plant33
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)26
TRI reporting facility22
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)10
Hazardous waste transporter9
Large hazardous waste generator8
Major air pollution source6
Public airport5
Heliport3
Scrapyard (mapped facility)3
Oil-fired power plant2
Commercial airport1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Hydroelectric plant1
Wind power plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Waite Park Wells, Waite Park
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 31.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID MND981002249 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Carfair Composites Usa Inc - St. Cloud, Saint Cloud
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 148,616 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5630WCRLSN4751H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Carstens Industries Fiberglass Manufacturing, Melrose
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene. Reports carcinogens. 144,635 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56352CRSTN733WM (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
New Flyer Usa, Saint Cloud
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $12,113.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003927449 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.3
Grede Llc - St Cloud, Saint Cloud
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $33,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000427191 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.1
Wells Concrete Products - Albany, Albany
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Styrene, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 14,600 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5630WWLLSC21INS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Polar Tank Trailer, Holdingford
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel, Manganese, Copper and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 10,640 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56340PLRTN12810 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Pilgrim'S Cold Springs Processing Plant, Cold Spring
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Peracetic acid. 204,731 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56320GLDNP14244 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Grede Llc Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Naphthalene, Manganese, Phenol, Copper and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 981 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56303MNTRN711AN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
New Flyer Of America, Saint Cloud
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Manganese, Ethylene glycol, Zinc (fume or dust). 73,705 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56301NWFLY6200G (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Knife River St. Joseph Ready Mix, Saint Joseph
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead, Mercury. Reports carcinogens. 378 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5637WKNFRV8552R (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.5
Cold Springs Processing Plant Gold'N Plump Poultry Inc, Cold Spring
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046098995 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Grede Llc - St Cloud, Saint Cloud
Major air pollution source. Penalties $33,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000427191 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Carlson Engineered Composites Usa Inc, St. Cloud
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064016835 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Carstens Industries Fiberglass Manufacturing, Melrose
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110040879760 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.1
Nahan Printing Inc, Saint Cloud
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Certain glycol ethers. 9,380 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56303NHNPR7000S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
New Flyer Usa, Saint Cloud
Major air pollution source. Penalties $12,113.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003927449 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Dci Inc, Saint Cloud
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Chromium and Chromium Compounds(except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region), Nickel compounds, Nickel And Nickel Compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 89 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56303DCNCX600N5 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Legacy Building Solutions Inc, South Haven
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Manganese, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 78 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5538WLGCYB195CU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6
Wells Concrete Albany, Albany
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037602706 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Associated Milk Producers Inc Paynesville Div, Paynesville
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000427306 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Dezurik Inc., Sartell
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nickel, Chromium. Reports carcinogens. 49 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 56377DZRKS250RI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
New Flyer Usa, Saint Cloud
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $12,113.
EPA FRS registry ID 110003927449 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Polar Tank Trailer Llc, Holdingford
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000594839 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Cold Spring Wwtp, Cold Spring
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021311659 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Stearns County

Minnesota state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Stearns County, and their findings.
Minnesota vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Minnesota health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Minnesota environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Minnesota drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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