Nonnegative Ricci curvature, stability at infinity and finite generation of fundamental groups

We study the fundamental group of an open math –manifold math of nonnegative Ricci curvature. We show that if there is an integer math such that any tangent cone at infinity of the Riemannian universal cover of math is a metric cone whose maximal Euclidean factor has dimension math , then math is finitely generated. In particular, this confirms the Milnor conjecture for a manifold whose universal cover has Euclidean volume growth and a unique tangent cone at infinity.