SW Missouri chicken plant expansion plans concern Oklahoma official

NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) -- Environmental officials in Oklahoma are worried about plans to increase the size of an egg-producing operation in southwest Missouri.<br/><br/>Oklahoma environmental secretary Miles

Tuesday, June 28th 2005, 1:19 pm

By: News On 6

NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) -- Environmental officials in Oklahoma are worried about plans to increase the size of an egg-producing operation in southwest Missouri.

Oklahoma environmental secretary Miles Tolbert is asking Missouri to delay issuing permits to Moark to triple the number of chickens it has in Newton County, Missouri. Moark has 1.3-million chickens and wants to add 2.6-million more.

Tolbert is asking Missouri to not issue permits until it's known where the chicken waste would be disposed. He says he's worried about the effect the waste would have on the Elk and Spring Rivers that flow into Oklahoma from Missouri.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson is already suing 14 poultry companies he says have polluted the Illinois River with chicken waste.

Officials with Missouri's Department of Natural Resources say a decision on Moark's request to expand is expected by the end of summer.