Oklahoma may sue several poultry companies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the state may sue some poultry companies for polluting Oklahoma scenic rivers. <br/><br/>Tyson, Peterson Farms, Simmons Foods, George's and

Friday, September 10th 2004, 6:29 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the state may sue some poultry companies for polluting Oklahoma scenic rivers.

Tyson, Peterson Farms, Simmons Foods, George's and Cargill submitted a proposed pre-lawsuit settlement to Edmondson's office yesterday.

But Edmondson said he didn't see what he had been hoping for.

Edmondson says he wants companies to accept responsibility for removing excess litter from the river basins and agree to pay reclamation costs.

Oklahoma officials attribute mounting phosphorus problems in the Arkansas Basin to a growth of poultry operations in northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.

Poultry producers argue that sewage plants, septic tanks and commercial and private application of other types of fertilizers on the soil have affected the waterways, too.