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Poultry Plant Fined for Clean Water Act Violations
A federal judge has handed down a harsh sentence to House of Raeford Farms Inc., a poultry slaughtering and processing facility in Raeford, North Carolina. The court ordered the company to pay a fine of $150,000, serve two years of probation, and pay a special assessment of $4,000 on February 26, 2013, for 10 counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act.
The case against House of Raeford Farms Inc. centers around the company’s failure to prevent its employees from bypassing the facility’s pretreatment system. Instead of being treated, the wastewater was sent directly to the City of Raeford’s Wastewater Treatment Plant without notification. The untreated wastewater, contaminated with blood, grease, and body parts from slaughtered turkeys, caused significant harm to the city’s plant and ultimately Rockfish Creek in Hoke County.
House of Raeford Farms Inc. was aware of the unauthorized bypasses, but chose not to report them. In fact, a former employee admitted that the facility would continue to operate despite warnings of the adverse impact on the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. The company’s actions were in direct violation of its pretreatment permit as well as the city’s sewer use ordinance.
House of Raeford Farms Inc. was under a consent order with the city to construct a new pretreatment system and comply with all requirements of its pretreatment permit. However, the company continued to engage in illicit activities, with many of the bypasses recorded in log books kept by wastewater operators. These incidents were never reported to the City of Raeford.
The case was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The sentence handed down by the court serves as a stern warning to companies that engage in such reckless and irresponsible behavior.
House of Raeford Farms Inc.’s actions not only harmed the environment but also put the community at risk. The fine and probation sentence are a small price to pay for the company’s egregious behavior. It is essential that companies prioritize environmental responsibility and adhere to regulations to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Environmental Crimes Section will continue to work tirelessly to hold companies accountable for their actions and protect the environment for future generations.
RELATED: House of Raeford Farms Inc. Guilty of Clean Water Act Crimes
RELATED: Poultry Giant Convicted of Water Act Crimes
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Public Corruption|Environmental Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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