MILLSBORO, Del. - According to a document addressed to executives at Mountaire Farms Inc., a D.C. law firm has released an intent to sue the poultry company after they claim wastewater violations contributed to neighbors drinking water.
"The lawsuit will allege that Mountaire has contributed and is contributing to the past and present handling, storage, treatment, transportation, and/or disposal of solid waste in such a manner that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to health and the environment...," the document states.
According to the document from Public Justice, a law firm in Washington D.C., neighbors and Food & Water Watch are seeking "mandatory injunctive relief." The law firm is asking that Mountaire fix longstanding issues within the next 90 days or face legal action. This comes after DNREC found violations to the Mountaire spray fields for elevated nitrate levels in 2017.
“For a long time, people in this area have been waiting and pleading for Mountaire to make a true effort to make the groundwater safe. Notice to file a lawsuit under RCRA is not only now appropriate, it’s absolutely essential to the health of this community,” said Jessica Culpepper, a staff attorney at Public Justice, who is among those representing the plaintiffs.
29 households are listed on the Notice of Intent to Sue, according to the document.
To see the full document from Public Justice, click here.
