Largest US Mushroom Grower Settles Pollution Lawsuit: Watsonville

WATSONVILLE, CA — The nation's largest mushroom grower, Watsonville-based Monterey Mushrooms, has agreed to settle an environmental protection lawsuit brought by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. The suit alleged Monterey pumped and allowed polluted wastewater to run into Fisher Creek for years, despite orders and warnings dating back to the 1980s.

According to the settlement, Monterey will pay $2.24 million; the money will be used, in part, to restore creek damage.

Despite receiving several clean-up and abatement orders from the Regional Water Quality Board dating back to 1985, Monterey Mushrooms routinely discharged and allowed dirty wastewater with toxic levels of ammonia to flow into Fisher Creek, according to the suit.

A coordinated investigation between the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the DA's office showed that from early 2016 to the spring of 2017, Monterey Mushrooms released hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater from its holding ponds into waterways instead of paying to either contain it or dispose of it properly, the suit alleged.

Additionally, the lawsuit said Monterey Mushrooms stored large piles of compost close to Fisher Creek, allowing harmful chemicals and organic matter into the stream.

Monterey Mushrooms has already spent nearly $2.75 million in facility improvements and, as part of the settlement, agreed to a five-year injunction with training, testing and oversight conditions, according to the DA's office.

The video below was released by the Santa Clara County DA's office.