Pilgrim's egg farms given new orders by TNRCC

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

May 23, 2002 -- Pilgrim's Poultry, owner/operator of the Camp County agricultural facilities known as Strube Egg Farms, has been ordered to immediately reduce the amount of wastewater in the farms' lagoons. The order was issued following a recent inspection of the farms by Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission's (TNRCC).

The lagoons "have reached capacity" and pose a risk for discharge, according to a TNRCC spokesperson.

In a May 13 letter from TNRCC Executive Director Jeffrey Saitas, he wrote: "This illegal discharge must be discontinued, and the excess water in the lagoons must be removed from the facility and transported for use or disposal in accordance with the law."

The letter also indicates that Pilgrim's has 45 days to obtain a wastewater permit from TNRCC or cease operation.

Vernon Rowe, who serves as an engineer for Pilgrim's, said on May 17 he is aware of the May 13 letter and order, but declined comment because they "are in negotiations" on the matter.

One problem with immediately ceasing an agricultural operation is what to do with the on-farm livestock, or in this case poultry, and the accumulations already in the lagoons.

"I recognize that the facility houses several hundred thousand birds," Saitas wrote on May 13. "For that reason, I will delay requesting the Attorney General's office to seek an injunction ordering Pilgrim to cease discharges into the lagoons for a period of 45 days so that the birds can be removed or the facility begins to operate lawfully under a TNRCC permit."

Pilgrim's began a wastewater permit application for the Strube farms in 1998. In the summer of 1999, TNRCC fined Pilgrim's for operating the farms without a permit. At that time, TNRCC gave Pilgrim's about 10 months to gain a permit or cease operations. Pilgrim's was granted time extensions to complete the permitting process. The last extension ceased Jan. 17. A request for a new time extension was made by Pilgrim's on March 28.

On April 9, attorney Jim Mathews asked TNRCC's Saitas about the matter, and requested, on behalf of the farms' adjacent landowners that he represents, "immediate action to halt (Pilgrim's) flagrant and ongoing violations" of TNRCC's 1999 order.

Saitas also noted any future unauthorized discharge at the farms "will be subject to enforcement."