All poultry growers and land/cattle owners are encouraged to attend an informational meeting concerning the
“Recent Lake Eucha Lawsuit Settlement, Rules and Regulations.”
Thursday June 7, 6:30 p.m.
Jay Community Center
(429 South 9th Street, Jay, Oklahoma.)
Speakers
Jim Reese, Secretary of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
Dr. Andrew Sharpley, Professor at
University of Arkansas
(Several elected officials from Arkansas and Oklahoma have also been invited but have not confirmed as of print time.)
You will be able to ask questions and comment on how this agreement will affect you and your agriculture operation. For more information, call Bev Saunders at 918-326-0325. This educational/outreach event is sponsored by Poultry Partners, Inc.
Lake Eucha Lawsuit Information
1952 – The city of Tulsa completed the Lake Eucha water supply system in Delaware County. Tulsa sells water to 17 other municipalities and 11 rural water districts as well as providing water for about 400,000 Tulsa residents.
December 2001 – The city of Tulsa and the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority filed a law suit in federal court for damage to the Lake Eucha water supply. Defendants were Tyson Foods, Cobb Vantress, Peterson Farms, Simmons Foods, Cargill, Georges and the city of Decatur Arkansas.
March 2003 – A settlement agreement was reached between Tulsa and the poultry integrators. The settlement required a new phosphorus index and nutrient management plans in the watershed. Growers were given the task and costs of moving the litter out of the watershed until the new plans were put in place.
Beginning in February 2004 – New management plans reduced the litter land applications rates in the watershed to about 1/3 of the rates they were before.
Since 2006 – A Special Master was selected to oversee the management plans and practices in the Lake Eucha watershed. The University of Arkansas’ plan ( for reducing the phosphorus in the watershed) was selected for trial implementation.
2009 – The city of Tulsa filed motions again asking for new standards, which if granted, would have all but eliminated poultry litter use for fertilizer in the watershed. After more research the court (Judge Eagan) determined that current data needed to be updated before the Court would relinquish jurisdiction and dismiss the case.
2010 – The Court requested that Dr. Andrew Sharpley of the University of Arkansas develop and submit a Plan of Work for revising the ESPI to encompass all sources of phosphorus and to update the tool based upon data and research conducted in the watershed since ESPI was implemented in 2004.
March 2012 – A supplemental Settlement Agreement was filed in United State District Court and signed by both the plaintiffs and defendants.