The state Department of Natural Resources says a proposed mega hog farm in northern Wisconsin will have to undergo an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, before it can move forward. The proposed Badgerwood swine operation would be located in the town of Eileen, near Ashland in Bayfield County. The $17.7 million dollar facility would house almost 19,000 pigs, 7,500 sows, and 100 boars.
Residents of the region have raised concerns about its potential impact on water quality, given its location in the Lake Superior basin and the millions of pounds of manure the farm is expected to generate each year. State Rep. Beth Meyers (D-Bayfield) says the EIS is an important step in determining what impact the farm could have on the health of residents in the area. “I just want to make sure everything goes right with this project, if it does go through,” Meyers said.
The DNR says the EIS process will provide the best way to comply with the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act requirements, as the agency evaluates permits for the project. The agency plans to offer more details soon for how the public can help identify issues the review should cover.