The Dakota County Star has learned that the years-long battle between the City of South Sioux City and other parties connected to the now-closed Big Ox Energy property is nearing an end.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, the Council sat in closed session for about 45 minutes receiving final details of a tentative agreement between the city and representatives of Wells Fargo Bank regarding the dilapidated Big Ox Energy property, which was the source of a years-long series of lawsuits relating to the company’s discharge of waste into the city’s sewer system, the noxious fumes of which found its way into the homes of almost two dozen residents, forcing families to evacuate their homes.
The company’s efforts to turn wastewater into an alternative energy source led to a series of lawsuits involving the city, a number of residents and the company, which eventually shut down and left their South Sioux City facility, leaving behind millions of dollars in unpaid bills and legal fees and began a long back-and-forth series of lawsuits that appears to have come to an end.
South Sioux City Mayor Rod Koch told the Star that a final agreement is expected to be signed within the next week to 10 days, and once that is completed, all litigation in the matter will come to an end.
Several residents also filed lawsuits against Big Ox Energy and the City of South Sioux City, and those cases have been settled, Koch said.
Once the agreement is completed, the city will take ownership of the land and building at the Big Ox Energy site in the Roth Industrial Park. Koch said the city will put that property, including the building up for sale.
Check back to the Dakota County Star website for updated information and a complete story in next week's print edition.
