CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) — A western Maryland company is appealing a $50,000 fine levied by the state Department of the Environment for alleged wastewater violations.

The Cumberland Times News reports that Mexico Farms LLC filed the appeal in Allegany County Circuit Court in June.

Mexico Farms treats the wastewater of Fibred, a company that makes dietary fiber from soybean hulls. It holds the treated water in lagoons for disposal by spraying or discharge.

MDE says the wastewater doesn’t meet environmental standards.

An administrative law judge ordered Mexico Farms in May to pay the fine. The order also instructed the company to stop spraying the wastewater on farmland.

It further required the company to rehabilitate the spray fields, build an upgraded treatment plant, repair leaking lagoons and reduce nuisance odors.

——

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)