Another Eastern Shore poultry-processing plant is in trouble with the state for polluting local waters with harmful nutrients.

The Allen Family Foods' plant in Cordova cannot meet its 1997 permit's strict standards for releasing nutrients that can

contaminate drinking water and fuel algae blooms, said Quentin W. Banks, spokesman for the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Harmful nutrients are building up in local ground water, Banks said.

The Delaware-based company is building a $3.2 million treatment plant and is seeking to avoid fines of $10,000 per day.

Tyson Foods also faces fines for improperly dumping nutrient-laden sludge from its Berlin plant on farm fields.

Tyson recently stopped the practice, and the company and MDE are working on a better way to get rid of the sludge.

Pub Date: 7/03/98