Watershed Case

A landmark case is slated to start today. The Waterkeeper Alliance is suing a family run chicken farm in Maryland for allegedly violating the federal Clean Water Act by storing a pile of poultry manure on their property. Funny thing is, that pile turned out to be legally purchased natural fertilizer for crops. It was improperly stored though, and the farm owners promptly complied with state regulations on containing and storing the fertilizer, and paid the related fine. Not content with this outcome, the Waterkeeper Alliance continued forward with the suit, claiming that the water pollution it found in a nearby ditch could only have came from this particular farm. An interesting side note, the Waterkeeper Alliance routinely goes on flyover “witch hunts” looking for environmental issues, often finding problems where there are none. The judge has warned the Waterkeepers with this suit that, if he rules in favor of the defendant, he very well might require the plaintiff to pay all legal fees. Finally, a step in the right direction. But, this lawsuit could either signal the beginning of the end for such frivolous lawsuits, or change the face of chicken farming nationally.