An Austin-based environmental group claims Sanderson Farms in Bryan is the second biggest water polluter in Texas.

In a press release sent Wednesday to Bryan/College Station media, Environment Texas accused the chicken processing facility of discharging 1.2 million pounds of toxic chemicals into Cottonwood Branch stream. It goes on to claim the facility ranks second in the state for total discharges to Texas waterways. The group asserts Sanderson Farms' discharges have led to Cottonwood Branch ranking 42nd among most polluted water ways in the U.S.

The release states the group got its data from, "...compiling toxic chemical releases reported to the U.S. EPA's Toxics Release Inventory for 2007."

News 3 asked Sanderson Farms to comment on the allegations. While company officials didn't refuse, News 3 did not receive a response Wednesday.

But the state agency that oversees water discharge did respond. When asked about the allegations by Environment Texas, The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued the following statement: "Sanderson Farms is authorized to discharge treated wastewater, domestic wastewater, utility wastewater, storm water, and truck wash water subject to permitted effluent limits.

The TCEQ has issued Sanderson Farms a TPDES (Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination) permit, allowing the discharge of wastewater, subject to specific effluent limitations that are protective of receiving streams.

All permitted discharges must meet state standards and are not allowed to impact the designated use of the waterway."