Grand Forks Military Compatibility Committee meets for the first time

GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks Military Compatibility Committee met for the first time in Grand Forks on Thursday morning at Grand Forks International Airport. The brief inaugural meeting introduced the committee, reviewed the military impact zones chapter to the North Dakota Century Code and began the process of identifying potential zoning considerations.

The committee was created as a part of Senate Bill 2398, which was passed during the 2025 legislative session. The bill’s purpose is to create impact zones around military installations and form committees that will help oversee any potential development in those zones to avoid detrimental impacts on military operations.

Present for the meeting were North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, Grand Forks County Administrator Tom Ford, Lt. Col. Trenton Norman, Grand Forks Township board member Andy Byron and Grand Forks International Airport Executive Director Ryan Reisinger.

“The Legislature felt this was an opportunity to gain a better understanding and in many ways, assist (Grand Forks Air Force Base) in that cause. We are in no way trying to put our finger in your chili; we just want to make sure we can add some ingredients,” Goehring said.

Chapter 37-30-03 of the Century Code states the agriculture commissioner may create one or more military compatibility committees to harmonize land, airspace and electromagnetic spectrum use in military impact zones, review potential encroachment of military installations in military impact zones and promote the sustainability of military operations in the state.

A similar meeting was also held for the first time this week in Minot.

In Grand Forks County, there are concerns about solar farms or wind turbines causing problems for the base. Ford said the county is sensitive to any type of encroachment and it is trying to get ahead of it.

The county is in the process of a compatible use study that would help the Grand Forks County Commission refine its special use policies. This could include adding cement to runways close to the base or adding wind farms, Ford offered as examples.

The main concern for Ford was any impacts on spectrum frequency availability as opposed to air or land use. Ford also offered to keep the committee apprised of how the compatible use study proceeds.

Gorman Field, a UND-owned Unmanned Aircraft System testing and training site in Emerado, was mentioned as a type of project that the committee would want to get ahead of, given its proximity to the base.

“Are there other opportunities for similar drone programs and projects that are going to happen in the rural county? Not that we are aware of, but we would like to get ahead of it just because we weren’t really able to mitigate it with the Gorman Field project,” Byron said.

Goehring also offered oil and gas pipelines as potential sources of impact.

“That might be something to watch and monitor,” he said.

Representing the base, Norman stated they are not aware of any concerns of encroachment at the moment. The base is actively working to engage its community partners and has a “wonderful working relationship.”

Grand Forks City Council President Dana Sande was absent from the meeting. Sande will act as the committee’s representative from the city, according to Goehring.

Before adjournment, Goehring determined the committee would meet again in the summer at a date to be determined later.

Digital Content Producer and Sports Reporter at the Grand Forks Herald since December of 2020. Maxwell can be contacted at mmarko@gfherald.com.