FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         ENR
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1996                          (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
             UNITED STATES SUES SMITHFIELD FOODS FOR
                   POLLUTING VIRGINIA WATERWAYS

 High Levels of Pollutants Found in Tributaries of the Chesapeake


     WASHINGTON, D.C -- The Department of Justice today sued
Smithfield Foods Inc, and two of its subsidiaries, on behalf of
the Environmental Protection Agency, for discharging illegal
levels of pollutants from their wastewater treatment plants into
the Pagan River, in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
  
     The subsidiaries, Smithfield Packing Company, and Gwaltney
of Smithfield Ltd, each operate a hog slaughtering and processing
facility in Smithfield, Virginia, where the violations allegedly
occurred.  The treatment plants at these facilities process the
waste generated during the hog-slaughtering and meat processing
operations the facilities perform.

     The complaint, filed today in U.S. District Court in
Norfolk, Virginia, alleges that the two facilities exceeded legal
limits on the discharge of pollutants into the Pagan River that
flows into the James River, a tributary of the Chesapeake.

     "EPA and the Department of Justice will continue to take
appropriate legal actions to protect Virginia's waterways and to
ensure that polluters don't prosper from their failure to prevent
past violations," said Lois J. Schiffer, Assistant Attorney
General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the
U.S. Department of Justice.  "Clean water is every citizen's
right, and we will do everything we can to protect that right,
for the people of Virginia and for all Americans."

     "This lawsuit should send a message to other facilities that
EPA and the Department of Justice will take firm legal action
against violators of the Clean Water Act and other environmental
statutes, said W. Michael McCabe, EPA Regional Administrator. 
"Like all Americans, Virginian's deserve clean water and vigorous
enforcement of the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws."

     The plants' National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
permit sets discharge limits designed to protect the quality of
Virginia's waterways.  The complaint alleges serious, chronic
violations of discharge limits for several pollutants, including
fecal coliform, phosphorous, ammonia, cyanide, oil, and grease.

     Sampling of the Pagan River has revealed excess fecal
 coliform levels, an indicator of the presence of intestinal
wastes from warm blooded animals.  Fecal coliform is an organism
found in manure that is often associated with bacteria known to
cause serious illness in humans.  The Pagan River has been closed
to shellfish harvesting since 1970 due to the high coliform
levels.

     On August 30, 1996, the Commonwealth of Virginia filed a
state court action concerning the water pollution violations at
the Smithfield plants.  However, EPA and the Department of
Justice believe that federal enforcement is needed to ensure
appropriate penalties are imposed for past violations, and to
prevent possible future violations.

     On October 22, 1996, Terry L. Rettig, the former operator of
the two wastewater treatment facilities, pled guilty to charges
that as a Smithfield employee, he knowingly discharged
contaminated wastewater into the Pagan River and attempted to
cover it up.  Today's action seeks civil penalties from
Smithfield for these and other violations.

     Clean Water Act violations are subject to a civil penalty of
up to $25,000 per day for each violation.  The complaint seeks a
penalty for the alleged permit violations, as well as a court
order to bring the plants into compliance with the Act.
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96-594