The State Water Control Board voted 4-1 on July 19 to reject a consent order with Tyson Foods for pollution violations at their poultry processing plant in Temperanceville. The original set of recommendations were handed down by the Department of Environmental Quality.
Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper Executive Director Jay Ford testified at the hearing, stating that that the civil penalties, $26,160, for exceeding permitted pollutant levels in treated stormwater and wastewater was not enough to act as a deterrent.
The board agreed and instructed DEQ staff levy larger fine and come up with a more stringent maintenance plan.
DEQ will be meeting with Tyson to negotiate a revised consent order.
“Yesterday, the Water Control Board agreed with Shorekeeper that the status quo is not good enough. Our Consent Orders must serve as an actual deterrent, and must result in cleaner waters, or they fail to do their job. We thank them for their service to Virginia and our waterways, and look forward to working with them in the future.” -Shorekeeper Executive Director, Jay Ford.
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Congratulations Jay Ford and the CBES who worked tirelessly to protect our fragile environment on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. They are real heroes and deserve our thanks and support.
Agreed! A couple of weeks ago, I read a very poignant letter to the Editor of the Eastern Shore Post, which I quote: “As the time approaches for a million chickens … to inhabit 24 60′ x 600′ structures, with a pond (now a drainage ditch) connected to Taylor Creek, which opens to Pungoteague Creek, we mourn. We [are] … aware of what’s at stake for our air, water, properties and coasts, to say nothing of the economy”. The following statement appears on another page in the same edition of the Post, advertising for sale a waterfront property: “The adjoining land isolates this estate from the poultry factory farming onslaught by protective covenants so the pristine land will remain as one of the last protected, unspoiled large tracts of land in Accomack County”. Enough said. Thanks, Accomack County Supervisors!