Dakota Resource Council Concerns About Blackhawk Farms Permit

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Barnes County area residents have petitioned the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for a public meeting and an extension on the 30 day comment period for the Blackhawk Farms permit.  Approximately 30 people gathered Sunday, November 8 to discuss the proposed 8461 head hog barn in Grand Prairie Township at a meeting organized by the Dakota Resource Council (DRC). Volunteers from the group in 48 hours collected 115 signatures which were delivered electronically and in person on Thursday, November 12 by DRC organizer Mike Graalum. According to the DRC news release, The DEQ has the “authority and obligation” to ensure that factory farms do not cause pollution. Blackhawk Farms applied for the DEQ permit in July and the public notice was released October 30. Requested information from the DEQ was not accessible for review until November 6. Yet in order to have a public meeting, the DEQ stated that “sufficient interest” and a listing of specific i