Egg farm faces legal action over wastewater spill

Sunrise Farms hopes to resolve complaints after spill that killed 163,000 fish.

DES MOINES -- One of the nation's largest egg farms, which lost millions of hens in last year's bird flu outbreak, is defending itself against legal action by the state over a wastewater spill that fouled 18 miles of stream in northwest Iowa and killed 163,000 fish.

The Environmental Protection Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to refer Sunrise Farms to the attorney general for enforcement of violations of state laws and administrative regulations. The company owns 23 egg-laying barns near Harris designed to hold up to 8 million hens.

Violations are referred to the attorney general in more serious cases because the DNR is limited in its administrative regulations to assess a maximum $10,000 fine.

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Ken Notes: We have to address mega farms NOW rather than wait for disasters that will take years to clean up. Bring the companies to the table, sit down and draft workable legislation that protects our waterways, wells, and land today! The EPA/DNR solution is not a solution. We can do this.