NEW Co-op has reached a settlement agreement following an ammonia nitrogen release from its Red Oak facility that caused a significant fish kill along the Nishnabotna River, state officials announced today.
The March 2024 incident affected 48 miles of the Nishnabotna River and extended to its confluence with the Missouri River, resulting in substantial damage to aquatic life.
Under the terms of the settlement, NEW Co-op will pay a $50,000 penalty and contribute an additional $50,000 toward a supplemental environmental project with the Montgomery County Conservation Board.
The agreement also includes a three-year state-wide injunction that prohibits the cooperative from future violations of Iowa’s water-quality laws.
The supplemental environmental project funds will support local conservation efforts to help restore and protect water resources in the affected area.
The settlement addresses one of the most extensive fish kills reported in the region in recent years, with environmental impacts spanning two major waterways in southwest Iowa.
