The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has granted Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s request to stay a judgment against six poultry companies following a nearly $44 million settlement reached in July.
The case will return to federal district court for the judgment to be released.
The settlement resolves Oklahoma’s 21-year lawsuit over poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. Tyson Foods, Cargill, George’s, Peterson Farms, Cal-Maine and Simmons Foods were found liable for the pollution.
“All parties came to the table to find a solution to protect Oklahoma’s water and to provide certainty for our poultry industry,” Drummond said. “The result is a balanced solution that protects our natural resources and supports one of Oklahoma’s most important industries.”
Under the settlement, the companies will pay $41.67 million into an Environmental Relief Fund for watershed stewardship and litigation costs. They also will pay $420,000 in penalties to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Revolving Fund and provide a combined $1.9 million for an independent compliance monitor.
The agreement also requires progressive reductions in the amount of poultry litter removed from poultry houses that is applied to land within the watershed.
