Judge: lawsuit alleging major ag company pollutes the Snake River can proceed

A case against one of Idaho’s highest-profile agricultural companies has been granted the green light to proceed.

Snake River Waterkeeper, an environmental nonprofit, filed a lawsuit against Simplot, specifically, its largest feedlot, located in Grand View, Idaho, in May 2023 for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act. The suit alleges that the company isn’t operating with a required pollution discharge permit, and is not taking measures to prevent excessive pollution from manure generated at the facility from entering the Snake River.

Though Simplot asked for the case to be dismissed, the U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye ruled that the nonprofit had provided adequate notice to Simplot as well as sufficient information for the case to move forward.

Snake River Waterkeeper Executive Director Buck Ryan said feedlots like the one at the center of this lawsuit are allowed to discharge pollution, but they are required to have a permit to do so under the Clean Water Act. The permits, known as National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, are issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act and that the entities are not releasing harmful levels of pollutants into the nation’s waterways… (continue reading)