Attorney General's News Release

May 18, 1995

SEMO Pork partnership pleads guilty to water pollution violations

Jefferson City, Mo. — A partnership that owned a hog production facility near Cape Girardeau pleaded guilty in federal district court today to charges that it illegally discharged animal waste into Indian Creek on two separate occasions in 1991. At the hearing before Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh in Cape Girardeau, SEMO Pork was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 for two violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

At the time of the 1991 discharges, SEMO Pork did not have a discharge permit for the hog facility from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources or the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The charges against SEMO Pork were brought by U.S. Attorney Edward L. Dowd Jr. with the cooperation of Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. The two offices work together through an ongoing environmental task force established in Missouri.

“It's vital that controls be in place to regulate wastewater discharges coming from large livestock operations,” Nixon said. “The great majority of operators abide by these rules that protect our water resources. We will continue to work in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney's Office to uphold these environmental laws.”

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

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