State may have to pump and treat groundwater after Hickman buries 2M chickens

The state will assess whether it needs to pump out water and treat it before it becomes dangerous for nearby or Tonopah-area residents, following allegations that Buckeye-based Hickman's Family Farms was hastily approved for an emergency measure to bury 2 million chickens, according to testimony Monday.

The admission comes after a state Department of Environmental Quality confirmation hearing, where ADEQ director nominee Karen Lee Peters admitted that it could be a likely scenario.

The burial action was authorized through a 90-day waiver, according to her. The waiver was granted to temporarily bypass the requirement for an Aquifer Protection Permit, which is typically necessary when there is a reasonable probability of contaminants reaching the groundwater.

The waiver was intended to allow for the urgent disposal of the carcasses due to the heat, rapid decomposition, and bird flu conditions.

GOP state Sen. Jake Hoffman, the leader of Arizona's Freedom Caucus, claims the state approved the burials without first analyzing the situation.

“Why even take the risk?” asked Hoffman. “By your own admission, you didn’t know the depth to groundwater. That seems like the epitome of bad government.”

Officials at the meeting tacitly acknowledged that there should have been at least a liner beneath the chickens.

“Mr. Chairman, it was a temporary waiver,” Peters said. “In a perfect world, they would have had an APP that would have a liner."

Hoffman noted that the state granted Hickman money for the action and that it was presumed allies who were calling out the Democratically led state department in a rebuke.

"I think it's $1.5 million you gave to Hickman to do that," Hoffman said. "Not activists on the right. They're activists on the left who are worried about water contamination. So help me understand when your own team is calling you out, how are you adequately protecting our groundwater?"

Groundwater remediation typically costs millions of dollars, depending on the severity and duration, according to reports.

Water contamination doesn’t happen immediately, according to the testimony.  According to studies, contamination may occur around 200 days post-burial, indicating that the effects are long-term and potentially delayed.
Some concerns that research has identified include pathogens from animal remains, nitrogen compounds such as ammonia or nitrates, and organic waste leachate.

Buckeye-based Hickman's Family Farms was contacted for comment, but did not respond by press time.

Michael McDaniel can be reached at [email protected]. We invite our readers to submit their civil comments or opinions on this or any issue. Email [email protected].