Concerns over the impact of the proposed $300 million Simmons poultry complex fuel local opposition & spark questions of health, environmental, quality of life & economic risks

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WHAT: The continuation of the tabled December 6th Benton County Planning Board public hearing issue evaluating the variety of community issues associated with the new industrial-sized Simmons Foods poultry plant proposed for construction on U.S. 59 between Gentry & Decatur. Local residents and members of the community group Citizens Against New Simmons Facility will attend and provide public comments.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 | 6:00 p.m. CT

WHERE: Benton County Administration Building | Quorum Courtroom, 3rd Floor Suite 324 | 215 East Central Avenue, Bentonville, AR 72712

WHO:     Members of the Citizens Against New Simmons Facility; Benton County residents; Benton County Planning Board

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Residents of Benton County are concerned — and they should be. Their public health, air quality, water security, property values, roadways and peace of mind are all in jeopardy. Simmons Foods isn’t proposing a poultry facility it’s planning the development of a massive poultry processing facility that will change the quality of life in Benton County.  A few basic facts on the proposed Simmons operation:

* The plant will process enough animals to produce a whopping 800 million pounds of chicken per year

* It will operate 24 hours a day with trucks moving on and off the plant site every 6 minutes

* The operation will use more than 12 million gallons of water per week

* It will need a labor force of approx. 1,500 employees, the vast majority being low-wage positions

* There is no current plan to conduct a traffic study or an environmental impact report

* The Simmons plan contains a faulty parking scheme that does not meet Federal safety standards

Benton County residents expect the Planning Board to consider the real-world impacts of a major processing plant sited in their County as they make their decision on behalf of all residents and future generations of Northwest Arkansas.

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Media contacts:

Jimmy Roberts | Citizens Against New Simmons Facility

c: 479-549-2337 | e: robertsjim95@yahoo.com

Terry Spence | Socially Responsible Agricultural Project

c: 660-626-5291 | e: terrys@sraproject.org