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Swift to pay penalty for pollution violations at Grand Island plant
NebraskaGDELTGDELT event0% biasedSat, May 23, 2026, 12:00 AM
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Swift to pay penalty for pollution violations at Grand Island plant.Swift to pay penalty for pollution violations at Grand Island plant GRAND ISLAND, Neb.(KSNB) - One of Grand Island’s largest employers is ordered to pay a civil penalty to the state.The Swift Beef Company must pay $1.25 million to the State of Nebraska after an agreement was reached in Hall County District Court.Court records show the State of Nebraska filed a lawsuit against the Swift Beef Company for violating Nebraska’s Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).The State of Nebraska alleged that Swift Beef Company’s Grand Island facility, also known as JBS, violated NEPA rules, regulations and permits.Nebraska filed the lawsuit on behalf of Jesse Bradley, the director of the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment.That agency administers and enforces all rules, regulations, orders and permits of NEPA.In the complaint, the State of Nebraska alleged that the Grand Island plant caused water pollution on a number of occasions, including when the smaller of its anaerobic lagoons failed and discharged approximately 2 million gallons of wastewater and sludge to waters of the state.The complaint also alleged violations of operation and maintenance requirements, surface water quality standards and permit conditions.Court records say the beef plant generally processes over 5,500 cattle each workday and discharges through its pretreatment system approximately 4.5 million gallons of wastewater each day.In January 2024, the plant’s north anaerobic lagoon failed and approximately 4 million gallons of liquid wastewater and lagoon sludge were discharged.Approximately 2 million gallons went to the Grand Island Utilities Ditch, which connects to Wood River and then to the Platte River.In court documents, NDWEE said it conducted an investigation and observed dead fish in the waters.Hall County District Court Judge John Marsh signed a consent decree between the two parties with Swift Beef Company paying the $1.25 million.It reads that the civil penalty payment shall be deposited in the appropriate fund for use and support of the common schools in Hall County as directed by Article VII, section 5, of the Nebraska Constitution.The document says the two sides agreed the settlement is in the public interest and that approval and entry of it is the most appropriate means of resolving their dispute.Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.Copyright 2026 KSNB.All rights reserved.