SPOKANE, Wash. — A non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the Spokane River has filed a lawsuit against dog food company Purina Mills.
The Spokane Riverkeeper, a non-profit focused on protecting the Spokane River, claims that Purina Mills has not complied with the Clean Water Act’s requirements to test and report what is in its stormwater runoff.
“Without that monitoring, it’s really impossible for us to know exactly what their violations look like and what they’re putting into our watershed,” said Katelyn Scott with Spokane Riverkeeper.
The Clean Water Act mandates that industrial sites test and report the contents of their water runoff to ensure pollutants do not harm the environment.
The lawsuit alleges that Purina Mills has failed to implement significant stormwater pollution prevention measures, which are crucial in protecting the river’s ecosystem.
“That stormwater is then discharged directly into the river, and without the proper measures to protect our river from that stuff, it’s going to go right into our river and can potentially harm wildlife and impact our uses,” Scott said.
The Spokane Riverkeeper said it hopes the lawsuit will lead to an agreement where Purina Mills regularly tests its water runoff, ensuring transparency and the protection of the Spokane River’s water quality.
4 News Now reached out to Purina Mills for comment multiple times but did not hear back.
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