Hog confinement facility causes concerns for Valentine, tourism destination

Hog confinement facility causes concerns for Valentine, tourism destination

Concerns are growing about a 5,000-head hog confinement barn being planned near Valentine, 2.7 miles from the scenic Niobrara River, one of Nebraska’s top tourist destinations. Critics say the area’s sandy soils and shallow groundwater make it highly susceptible to contamination from hog manure leaching into groundwater or washing into the river, threatening float trips for the 60,000 paddlers who visit the Niobrara each year.