After years of complaints about odors from Premium Protein Products, Russellville city officials are considering a new approach: taking the rendering plant to court.
Councilman Paul Gray brought a proposal to Tuesday night’s Finance Committee meeting that would hire outside attorneys to pursue legal action involving PPP. The price tag to get started is $225,000, with litigation potentially lasting one to three years.
The committee didn’t make a decision Tuesday, instead voting to revisit the proposal at its November 19 meeting.
Gray, who has spent years fielding complaints and trying to get the company to address the odors, said he has reached the point where he doesn’t know what else to do.
“As we know, PPP has been an issue for this city forever,” Gray told fellow council members.
He said he has worked with state legislators and others in an effort to address the problem, but the complaints continue. Of all the issues residents bring to him, he said PPP tops the list, with people repeatedly asking him to “please do something.”
Gray recently met with a local attorney who works with specialists in environmental law. After discussing possible legal options, he decided to bring the proposal to the council.
The arrangement would involve Russellville’s Streett Law Firm and its consulting partners, the Indian & Environmental Law Group, which specializes in environmental litigation.
Gray emphasized that the goal is not to close the plant or eliminate jobs.
“None of this litigation is aimed at shutting down PPP or aimed at anyone losing their job. We need PPP to be a good neighbor and follow procedures that would allow them to be a good neighbor.”
Gray said the attorneys would require a $225,000 retainer up front rather than billing the city for individual services throughout the process.
He said the attorneys estimate litigation could last between one and three years, although the ultimate cost could be lower depending on what happens in court.
City Attorney Trey Smith had previously estimated what litigation involving PPP might cost, and Gray said the proposed amount was in line with that earlier projection.
Councilwoman Laura Wetzel voiced support for moving forward.
“I think it’s time,” Wetzel said. “And I appreciate you doing so much work to get it started, because we’ve all talked about it for months and months and years and years.”
But finding the money could be a challenge.
Councilman Nathan George questioned where the $225,000 would come from and whether the city could afford it while working through budget pressures, including rising insurance costs.
Gray said he would work with Mayor Fred Teague, Finance Committee Chairman Justin Keller and Finance Director Brittany Baker to identify possible funding sources.
Keller suggested the expense might qualify as economic development spending, potentially allowing the city to use money from certain economic development funds.
Teague said the city would need legal guidance before determining whether those funds could be used to pay for litigation. He suggested consulting the Arkansas Municipal League and additional legal counsel.
Gray argued that PPP’s odor problems are costing Russellville more than residents’ comfort.
“I got 12 or 13 complaints on Thursday alone. It was horrific. I don’t know what else to do.”
He said the issue affects the city’s quality of life, its ability to attract businesses and even its reputation among visitors.
As one example, he pointed to soccer tournaments that bring families from across the region to Russellville. The city has invested in recreational facilities that attract those events, but Gray said the odor can leave visitors with a negative impression despite the quality of the facilities.
He also described hearing from people who move to Russellville, buy homes and then discover the persistent odor.
The concerns are not new.
During a June council discussion, Gray said he had been documenting odor complaints since late 2023. Councilman Chris Olson, who works with rendering plants professionally, questioned why the Russellville facility has struggled to control odors when other rendering plants use equipment and operating practices designed to limit their impact on surrounding communities.
At an August meeting, Gray reported that the city had received approximately 140 odor complaints during 2026. He also said previous efforts to communicate with the company had not produced a satisfactory resolution.
Now, he wants the city to explore whether the courts can accomplish what those efforts have not.
The Finance Committee voted Tuesday to table the proposal until Thursday, November 19.
Keller said the delay would give council members time to review the proposed agreement and meet with attorneys to better understand the legal strategy before deciding whether to move forward.
