In 2016, residents of Mead and the surrounding areas began to file complaints to the Department of Environment and Energy.
Davis and others, including Amy Svoboda, an environmental lawyer, claimed that the bill’s permissive language gave the director too much control over when to take action against polluters.
Svoboda said that the bill didn’t go far enough to define who would become responsible for cleanup purposes. She also said that it could be used against front line employees individually, and not against the whole company.
She suggested that the bill identify “responsible parties” as the owners, operators or former owners of a facility as well as any suppliers of any kind waste product.
This definition could make it possible for AltEn to hold responsible the seed companies that provided AltEn with discarded pesticide-treated seed.
The Nebraska Agri-Business Association wrote a letter opposing this bill. It stated that it supported Bostelman’s intent but was concerned about seed dealers, haulers, and individual growers being held responsible for cleanup costs.
Scott Merritt, president and CEO of the association, wrote: “Our concern is whether or not commercial sellers could be held responsible for the improper disposal products by users.”