Maryland AG Sued Poultry Facility for Water Pollution

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh sued Valley Proteins, a poultry facility, for discharging pollutants including chlorine, wastewater, and solids into nearby waterways. The facility’s mandatory reporting revealed 40 violations in under three years, and inspections by Maryland Department of the Environment uncovered 370 additional violations that the facility failed to report. The complaint seeks injunctive relief as well as $10,000-$25,000 in civil penalties per violation, per day.

On September 12, 2022, AG Frosh announced a settlement with the company. Under the consent decree, the company was required to correct the violations, pay a civil fine, and upgrade its wastewater treatment equipment and monitoring processes, among other conditions.

• Documents: ComplaintMD Press ReleaseConsent Decree
• Document Type: Complaints Press Releases/Statements Settlements
• States: Maryland
• Issues: Hazardous Waste Natural Resources Public Lands & Wildlife Toxics Water Water Pollution
• Era: Non-Federal
• Outcome: Win
• Action Type: Environmental Enforcement Litigation