Groups Plan to Sue Poultry Plants Over Discharges

Three environmental groups said they intend to sue two poultry processing plants, claiming unlawful discharges of waste into the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

The companies send waste to a treatment plant in Timberville that the state has taken to court over pollution of the river.

Shenandoah Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper Alliance filed a notice in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg yesterday that they will file suit in 60 days unless the discharges are corrected, according to their attorney, Bill Gerlach. The notice is required under federal law.

Branches of the Shenandoah have been plagued in recent years by massive, unexplained fish kills.

No officials at SIL Clean Water, operator of the treatment plant, could be reached.

Mark Klein, a spokesman for Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., said, “SIL holds the permits and was in violation, not Cargill.” Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. did not return a call.

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