CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — A company that pleaded guilty to releasing contaminated process water from its Chattanooga plant into a creek says it has made improvements to prevent future mishaps.
Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., one of the country's largest agricultural products manufacturers, entered a federal plea agreement Wednesday to four misdemeanor counts of violating the Clean Water Act.
The company was cited for discharging cotton fibers and other pollutants into Chattanooga Creek, a Tennessee River tributary, from 2003 to 2005.
Archer Daniels Midland spokesman David Weintraub said the company fully cooperated with investigators and he affirmed its commitment to ''responsible environmental practices.''
''To help prevent future releases, ADM has implemented policies and undertaken projects to capture and appropriately handle process water'' at the Chattanooga plant, he said.
U.S. Attorney James ''Russ'' Dedrick said this included management changes at the plant and more than $350,000 in upgrades.
The company was fined $100,000 and agreed to donate another $100,000 to various environmental protection organizations — divided among the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the city of Chattanooga and a special training fund for federal and state environmental officers.
Dedrick said Thursday the violations were ''serious and avoidable'' and the result of ''negligent conduct.''
Ricky Langlois, a special agent with the Environmental Protection Agency, said Archer Daniels Midland's ''lax compliance effort and sloppy operations were inexcusable, given the size and sophistication of this company.''
