Oklahoma's attorney general sees new effort to derail clean water efforts

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the poultry industry is trying to disrupt his efforts to protect the state's water quality through a resolution adopted by a state Senate

Thursday, April 21st 2005, 5:23 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the poultry industry is trying to disrupt his efforts to protect the state's water quality through a resolution adopted by a state Senate committee.

The bill sponsored by state Senator Richard Lerblanche and state Representative Don Armes would set up a joint legislative committee and require all state environmental agencies to testify if a poultry issue went to trial.

Edmondson Thursday says the resolution is written as though it is intended to protect water quality, but it instead would damage the state's negotiating position and ability to win such lawsuits.

Edmondson has been negotiating with poultry interests over pollution of waterways in northeast Oklahoma. Another bill introduced to restrict lawsuits the attorney general could file died in a state Senate committee earlier in the legislative session.