Phase 1 of poultry plant expansion passes, residents concerned
Clearing up “misinformation”, we’re told that’s the reason DNREC held a meeting on Monday in Milton regarding Allen Harim’s plans to expand operations at their plant in Harbeson, Delaware.
Jeannette Wagner has lived in Harbeson since 1960, and she currently lives just down the street from the Allen Harim plant on Harbeson Road.
“I have seen four chicken plants that have been here, and this is the worst of all of them,” Says Wagner.
Wagner has environmental concerns about the plant, which is why she has reservations about plans to expand its wastewater treatment system.
“The waste water is how you process chickens so every bird goes through a processing facility,” Explains Allen Harim CEO Steve Evans. “We then reprocess that water before we discharge it back into the stream.”
Evans says the plant is remodeling in order to support future plans of consolidation.
The company announced in March that it would be closing its plant in Cordova, Maryland come July.
At the meeting on Monday, Evans told the Harbeson plant currently processes about 1.1 million birds weekly but it could be up to 1.7 million a week by September.
He says they have already been approved by DNREC to move ahead with phase one of their plans to expand wastewater treatment system; however, residents like Wagner worry the water’s outfall will negatively impact streams it goes into like Beaver Dam.
“This particular stream ends up in Broadkill River, and then it goes onto the bay, so it’s not only polluting here. It’s polluting the entire waterway,” Wagner tells 47ABC.
Evans tells 47ABC newly enacted EPA guidelines have forced the company to reduce the amount of phosphorus that would be discharged into the stream.
He says they test water levels every day and as far as he knows, they have been compliant.
“I don’t believe they have things to worry about,” Says Evans. “I mean, we live here. We play here. We employ people here, so we’re trying to be good stewards to the community and also good stewards to the environment as well.”
Phase two of the project, which involves criteria on aluminum and nitrogen levels, will be open for discussion at a public hearing on June 9 at the Milton Library. We’re told the meeting is set to happen at 6 p.m.
