12/20/2006

News in brief

WRS hearing is rescheduled

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY — A hearing to review a proposed consent judgement between the state and Williamsburg Receiving and Storage has been rescheduled to next week.

A hearing set for Monday was postponed by 13th Circuit Court until Dec. 26, court officials said. Judge Thomas Power is scheduled to review a proposed consent judgement from the state Department of Environmental Quality to resolve a lawsuit filed in February against the cherry processing company by the state Attorney General's office.

The proposed judgement includes a $150,000 fine for the company to resolve several pending environmental violations at the processing plant north of M-72 in Grand Traverse County's Whitewater Township. There also are fees for the state's enforcement and monitoring costs.

See related stories:

• State may settle suit - Nov. 29, 2006
• Judge OKs adding company to lawsuit - Oct. 17, 2006
• Plant lawsuit nearing deal? - Oct. 7, 2006
• WRS drops suit against neighbors - Aug. 18, 2006
• Plant neighbors get warning - Aug. 16, 2006
• Processing plant odor lawsuit to get hearing - Aug. 13, 2006
• EPA studies emissions from WRS facility - July 4, 2006
• WRS may appeal ruling allowing neighbors to intervene - May 20, 2006
• Locals, groups join in WRS lawsuit - May 11, 2006
• Plant opposes neighbors' efforts - May 2, 2006
• Neighbors want to join plant lawsuit - April 18, 2006
• State approves cleanup plan at fruit processing plant - March 16, 2006
• Group issues report on WRS - Feburary 9, 2006
• State lawsuit targets WRS - Feburary 7, 2006
• Processing plant's environmental issues linger - January 29, 2006
• Sewer plant to accept 5 million gallons of waste - January 19, 2006
• County, WRS are in talks - January 13, 2006
• No decision on intervention - December 22, 2005
• Proposed legal action against WRS on agenda - December 20, 2005
• Industrial waste spews from storage lagoon - November 14, 2005
• Complaints of odors lead to DEQ inspection - July 23, 2005

See related editorials:

• Neighbors have right to demand fresh air - July 16, 2006
• It's time to put an end to a cherry plant mess - February 7, 2006