Justin Juozapavicius of the Associated Press brings us the latest update of the federal pollution trial between the state of Oklahoma and eleven poultry companies with operations in the Illinois River watershed who are alleged to have polluted the watershed with runoff from chicken litter spread on farmland in the region.In a period of two years, from 2005 to 2007, one of Oklahoma’s favorite outdoor recreational sites saw a decline in the number of people using this resource. Over that time period the number of people who floated the Illinois River dropped by 30,000.
Testifying yesterday was Oklahoma State University professor Lowell Caneday, “who has studied the 1 million acre watershed for decades.” Lowell also testified that he “personally witnessed some of the pollution, such as a clump of poultry manure with feathers, straw and other debris, floating down the Illinois River. On one rainy day in 2007, Caneday claimed he saw a farm field spread with so much chicken manure, it appeared to ‘move’ across the road in the storm.”
Tom Green, an attorney for Tyson Foods Inc., one of the eleven companies making up the defense, challenged Caneday on his statement, wondering if Caneday “actually followed the waste as it traveled from pasture to river.” Caneday responded by saying logic dictates where the pollution was going—the river.
As far as the reduction in use of the river, the companies attributed this to increased cost of gas, the beginning of the recession. In the end Caneday did admit “there was no way to say what one factor was causing the decline.”
While Tuesday was the 20th day in the non-jury trial that was brought in 2005, the state still estimates that it will take another three to four weeks to finish “its side of the case [,]” Juozapavicius writes that since the poultry companies have yet to present their case, it looks like this trial will carry over to the new year.
To read the AP story click here.
Posted: 11/11/09
