Farmer charged with dumping waste

Southeast Missourian

PEMISCOT COUNTY, Mo. -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Pemiscot County farmer, accusing him of dumping byproducts from biodiesel production on his farm and killing a significant amount of fish and other aquatic life, according to a Missouri Department of Natural Resources news release sent out Friday afternoon.

The release said James Raulerson and James Raulerson Farms were indicted on charges of violating the Clean Water Act following an investigation by the DNR, U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and Missouri Department of Conservation.

Raulerson is alleged to have dumped glycerin and other byproducts from the Natural Biodiesel Plant LLC on his property in October. Chemicals made their way into the Belle Fountain Ditch, where they affected aquatic life.

The plant, near Hayti, has the capacity to produce 5 million gallons of biodiesel per year. The department also issued three notices of violations for air, hazardous waste and water violations to the plant during its investigation.