The Des Moines (IA) Register (4/24, Beeman)
reported that a group of Muscatine, Iowa citizens "on Monday sued Grain
Processing Corp., contending that emissions from the agriculture giant's plant
is harming their health. It's the second lawsuit filed against the Muscatine
mainstay in four months. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources sued the
company in December, alleging that the firm had recorded a long string of
environmental violations." The citizens' suit asks the county district
court to certify the action as a class action lawsuit. The company says it
plans to spend $100 million upgrading the plant to reduce emissions.
The AP (4/23, Foley) added that the lawsuit
alleges pollution from the plant "has damaged homes, cars and property
across the city," and seeks to add about 17,000 people living within three
miles of the plant as members of the class. The plaintiff's attorney, Texas
environmental litigator Tony Buzbee, "said he filed the lawsuit after
recent testing at homes and public parks revealed dangerously high levels of
acetaldehyde and sulfuric acid, among other substances."
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