Knowles and attorney Joshua Sullivan argued Thursday against motions to dismiss two lawsuits.
One of the suits was filed on behalf of Dynamic Collision, challenging the zoning of the proposed site. The other was filed by Choice Fabricators and Advance Etowah, alleging a failure to provide documents related to the plant from the City of Gadsden, Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority and the Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board.
Knowles argued that documents she s received limited ones from the Water Works and some from other sources indicate there is more information out there. She says it should be subject to discovery and made available to the plaintiffs.
Lawsuits on Gadsden proposed Pilgrim s Pride plant set for hearings gadsdentimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gadsdentimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For more than 90 minutes Tuesday evening, Alabama Department of Environmental Management Agency representatives heard from 14 people who registered to speak regarding an air permit sought by Pilgrim s Pride for a proposed rendering plant on Steele Station Road.
Outside the Downtown Civic Center, a crowd gathered with Stop the Rendering Plant and other signs, chanting Just say no and other slogans as people entered the back of the center for the hearing.
Opponents of the rendering plant staged another event next door at the Pitman Theatre, with the anticipation that people would address the ADEM hearing, then come to deliver the same comments to people gathered at the Pitman.
The Wall Street Journal on Jan. 12 reported another Pilgrim’s Pride of settlement of $110.5 million for alleged price fixing and corruption. This comes after the company last fall announced a plea deal in the Justice Department’s criminal price fixing case.
Under that deal, Pilgrims agreed to pay a $110.5 million penalty. That comes to almost $200 million in fines in two years because of alleged management corruption.
Residents of Gadsden and Etowah County should keep this corporate culture in mind when reading the Pilgrim’s Pride attack advertisements focused on owners of industries on Steele Station Road. These attack ads are printed daily in the Gadsden Times and paid for by Pilgrim’s Pride and Growing Gadsden.com.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management Agency has set a public hearing at 6 p.m. Jan. 26 for proposed air permits for the proposed Pilgrim s Pride rendering plant on Steele Station Road.
The City of Gadsden worked with ADEM to find a location the Downtown Civic Center for the hearing, according to Gadsden Public Affairs Coordinator Michael Rodgers.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ADEM has enacted special public hearing procedures, including changes in the hearing format, speaking registration and safety procedures.
That means anyone who wants to speak at the hearing has to register in advance, and only one speaker at a time will be allowed in the hearing room. There will be no general audience in the room, according to ADEM s website. Anyone who speaks to ADEM representatives at the meeting is encouraged to also submit their comments in writing.