Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the State of Oklahoma has reached a settlement agreement with George’s, Inc., resolving claims related to poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed.
“This settlement demonstrates that fair, good-faith negotiations can produce outcomes that serve everyone’s interests—protecting Oklahoma’s water resources while respecting the economic realities facing our agricultural partners,” Drummond said. “George’s willingness to come to the table and work toward meaningful remediation, rather than prolonged litigation, reflects the kind of responsible corporate citizenship I hope to see from all parties in this case. I remain committed to working with all parties to achieve comprehensive solutions for the Illinois River Watershed while preserving the economic vitality of Oklahoma’s poultry producers.”
The Attorney General’s announcement said the settlement reflects a balanced approach that holds George’s accountable while providing a reasonable path toward compliance.
Details of the settlement are:
- George’s agrees to pay $5 million to the State for remediation and conservation projects and attorney fees;
- George’s commits to removing poultry litter from the Illinois River Watershed over seven years, progressively reducing the amount remaining from no more than 40% to no more than 20%;
- Under the agreement, George’s will be limited to no more than 40% of litter removed each year from the poultry houses in the Illinois River Watershed. By the third and fourth years, the firm will be limited to 30%. Years 5, 6 and 7 will see “no more than 20% of litter removed each year from poultry houses of the IRW Growers will be land applied to soils located within either the Oklahoma or Arkansas portions of the IRW.”
- George’s pays $250,000 for a Special Master to monitor compliance;
- George’s agrees that litter removed from the Illinois River Watershed will not be applied to land in any other nutrient-sensitive watersheds in Oklahoma; and
In exchange, the State releases all claims against George’s.
Last month, a federal court issued a judgment holding the poultry corporations jointly responsible and requiring Tyson, Cobb Vantress, Cargill, George’s, Simmons, Peterson Farms and Cal-Maine to fund decades of cleanup and imposing strict restrictions on waste application practices.
The settlement with George’s does not affect ongoing proceedings involving the other defendants: Tyson, Cobb Vantress, Cargill, Simmons, Peterson Farms and Cal-Maine.