Earlier this month, the Spirit Lake Tribe formally asked the Pierce County Board of Commissioners to reconsider its approval of a proposed large-scale hog facility near Hurricane Lake. The request follows a deeply concerning decision-making process that raises serious questions about water protection, public health, and whether county officials followed their own zoning rules.
The proposed facility, known as the Dakota SAO II hog farm, would be a gestation–farrowing operation, a type of concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) that plays a critical role in expanding industrial hog production. Farrowing facilities are not standalone operations—they are a central spoke in a larger production system, supplying piglets to finishing sites elsewhere. Approving this type of facility can open the door to additional hog operations, increasing truck traffic, manure spreading, water use, and cumulative environmental impacts across the region.
This concern is especially significant given the proposed site’s location in the northern prairie pothole region, one of the most sensitive and ecologically important landscapes in North America.
A decision without required findings
While the Pierce County Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously voted to deny the project after a public hearing on November 5, the Pierce County Board of Commissioners overturned that recommendation just eight days later, approving the permit on a narrow 3–2 vote.
Under Pierce County’s own Planning and Zoning Regulations, the County Commission may not approve a conditional use permit unless it makes specific findings showing that the project will not endanger public health or safety, impair nearby land uses, or harm environmental resources.
According to the Spirit Lake Tribe’s December 12 letter, the Commission failed to make those required findings. The written record does not explain why the County Commission rejected the Planning & Zoning Commission’s unanimous recommendation, nor does it fully address key concerns raised by residents and tribal experts during public testimony .
Cumulative impacts in a sensitive landscape
The proposed hog farm is located near Hurricane Lake, a protected wildlife area that connects to Devils Lake and downstream waters. This region is part of the prairie pothole landscape, which supports waterfowl, wildlife habitat, and recreational uses, and plays a critical role in natural water storage and flood control.
Residents and the Spirit Lake Tribe raised concerns about runoff pathways, nearby ravines that drain into Hurricane Lake, and the sheer volume of manure and wastewater that a farrowing facility would generate. Because farrowing operations support multiple downstream finishing sites, their approval can exponentially increase environmental pressure on a landscape already vulnerable to flooding and water quality degradation.
Despite these risks, the County Commission did not clearly document whether required setbacks from protected surface waters and groundwater wells were met, nor did it reconcile conflicting evidence presented at the hearings .
Health, odors, and rural fairness
Residents living near the proposed site testified about concerns related to odor, air quality, and health impacts associated with living near large-scale animal feeding operations. Studies have linked proximity to CAFOs with respiratory illness, asthma, and other health issues.
Pierce County zoning rules include setback requirements intended to protect residents and public spaces from these impacts. However, the Spirit Lake Tribe’s letter details how the County Commission failed to make findings showing that these requirements were satisfied or to impose meaningful conditions to reduce harm.
The Tribe also highlighted a broader inequity: rural residents who rely on private wells often receive less protection under current zoning rules than incorporated towns and subdivisions, even though their dependence on clean water is just as great.
What the Tribe is asking for
The Spirit Lake Tribe is calling for a rehearing and a written decision that:
- Fully addresses public testimony and expert concerns
- Evaluates cumulative impacts, including how a farrowing facility can drive further industry expansion
- Makes the required findings under county zoning regulations
- Ensures compliance with setback requirements and water protections
The Tribe has also stated it will continue to engage with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health as permitting decisions move forward .
This case is about more than a single hog farm. It’s about whether local governments will consider cumulative impacts and follow their own rules when industrial agriculture seeks to establish anchor facilities that enable broader expansion.
In a sensitive prairie pothole landscape where water, wildlife, and rural communities are tightly connected, decisions made today will shape environmental outcomes for decades.
Dakota Resource Council stands with the Spirit Lake Tribe and local residents in calling for transparency, accountability, and decisions that put people, water, and long-term stewardship first.