Bill loosening regulations on chicken waste that can end up in rivers advancing in State Senate | News [Video]

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill about chicken waste that has been linked to pollution in eastern Oklahoma’s rivers and lakes has a growing number of groups crying more than just “fowl.”

On Monday, the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee passed House Bill 4118. The bill eases what some in the poultry industry call tough regulations that are hurting small family chicken farms.

“If you are following laws, then we are not going to hold you liable or allow suits just on that,” said State Senator Brent Howard (R-Altus) who is the Senate author of the bill.

Howard said because of “absolute” language in current regulations, farms are being dragged into litigation when they either haven’t polluted or have made an honest mistake. He said current law goes after more than just those who are intentionally polluting eastern Oklahoma’s rivers, streams, and lakes, and there is currently no grace for …