Residents in Keokuk are filing a lawsuit over the smell emanating from the the Roquette factory.
It’s been three years of frustration for many in Keokuk as a foul scent has continued coming from the factory on the west side of town.
Resident David Dye along with Keokuk Councilman Steve Andrews filed the suit back in June. Last week, the city council passed to change the language on their nuisance abatement laws to account for noxious smells. In a rare move, the council waived the second and third readings of the ordinance and passed the amendment.
Keokuk City Administrator Jim Ferneau says it was a measure they “really wanted to get through.”
Dye’s lawsuit is expected to go to trial in June of 2027 and while his motive is not for money or to shut down the plant, he said he just wants the problem solved.
