Environmental activists are appealing a decision made by a state board that gets a South Korean chicken processor one step closer to establish itself in Sussex County.
The group Protecting Our Indian River filed an appeal in Superior Court Thursday to overturn the June ruling by the state's Environmental Appeals Board that upheld a brownfield remediation plan from Allen Harim approved by DNREC.
Harim has been working to take over the former Vlasic Pickles plant in Millsboro since April 2013, but groups like Protecting Our Indian River argue the proposed plant would further degrade the surrounding environment.
In a statement released after the appeal was filed, Cindy Wilton, a founding member of Protecting Our Indian River, said her group had no choice but to take the matter to court.
“The real truth is the Delaware DNREC made the decision to appeal this defective remediation plan, not the citizens of this County," said Wilton in her statement. "Their reckless and politically-influenced disregard for the health and safety of residents and the environment, not to mention the local economy, forced the need to have a responsible, unbiased court step in to stop an injustice."
Gov. Jack Markell has lauded the plan since its inception and visited the company’s headquarters in South Korea last year.
Harim estimates it’ll process two million chickens a week at the site and create 200 jobs.