Inside This Issue

Stream Teams

Youth Watershed
Summit

Chronic Failure to
Monitor Water

Stericycle

State Environthon
Winner

Calendar of Events

Rules Update

Air and Land
Protection Division
Organizational Chart

Water Protection
and Soil Conservation
Division
Organizational Chart

Regional Office Map

Internet Addresses

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Protecting Missouri's Natural Resources is a monthly newsletter that informs readers about environmental issues.

JUNE 2002

CHANGES IN DAILY ACTIVITIES IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA CAN REDUCE OZONE CONCENTRATIONS

This summer, the St. Louis non-attainment area has its first chance ever to attain the federal ozone standard. Residents can make simple changes in daily activities to help reduce ground-level ozone concentrations and do their part toward attaining the standard and cleaner air.

In addition, the gas station is a place where simple changes can greatly reduce the formation of ozone:

Here are a few changes around the home that will help reduce ozone concentrations:

The Air Quality Index is a system to warn communities in St. Louis when the air may be dangerous to breathe. Residents should check the air quality forecast. Modify activities especially on orange and red air quality days. The air quality forecast can be found at www.cleanair-st.louis.com, on solar signs along the highways or with the weather report on KMOV Channel 4.

Ground-level ozone is produced when hydrocarbons from car exhaust and other fumes mix with oxides of nitrogen from power plants and other sources. Ozone forms on warm, sunny days and concentrations build when there is little or no wind.

Exposure to ground-level ozone can contribute to other health problems such as increased breathing difficulty for those who suffer from asthma, heart disease, emphysema and other cardiopulmonary diseases. Long-term exposure to high levels of ozone can even cause healthy adults to experience breathing difficulty, especially those who exercise or work outdoors. Studies also suggest that ozone plays a role in causing asthma.

DIRECTOR NAMED TO DEPARTMENT'S WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM

Scott B. Totten, director of the Water Protection and Soil Conservation Division has announced the appointment of Jim Hull as the Department of Natural Resources' Water Pollution Control Program Staff Director for the Clean Water Commission effective April 22, 2002.

Hull has been with the department for eighteen years, serving the department since 1997 as director of the Solid Waste Management Program. Prior to his work in solid waste, Hull was a member of the Waste Management Program (Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste). Hull has a B.S. in Biology along with a minor in Geology from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.

Hull is a member of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Chapter of Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), past president and member of the Missouri Waste Control Coalition (MWCC), member of the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO), Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), Missouri Recycling Association (MORA), and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC).

Hull brings with him a wide-range of experience and a diverse background. Totten has worked with Hull for many years and looks forward to working with him in his new role. The Missouri Clean Water Commission concurred with the decision to appoint Hull as director.

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AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS MEASURED IN HERCULANEUM

For the first three months in 2002, all monitors in Herculaneum measured airborne lead concentrations that met the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This is the first time all of the Herculaneum monitors have met the standard since the Broad Street monitor began operation in 1992.

This is good news for the residents of Herculaneum because these measurements are directly representative of airborne lead exposure for this period. The results are encouraging and the department is anxious to see progress continue. "This is an important first step, and we hope to see the efforts to reduce citizen exposure continue to pay off," said Roger Randolph, Director of the Air Pollution Control Program.

There are several factors that have contributed to the lower measurements. The Doe Run Company has completed a number of lead emission control projects as required in the State Implementation Plan. Doe Run's refinery building has been enclosed and ventilated through a baghouse to filter out fine particles that contain lead. The company has also eliminated and reduced several outside storage piles. This housekeeping effort reduces wind blown emissions from these storage piles. Doe Run reported they have improved the operation of their blast furnaces, reducing the number of upsets and the emissions associated with these upsets. Lastly, the facility is operating at a somewhat reduced throughput, approximately 30 percent less production than maximum. In all, Doe Run is spending about $10 million to install these controls.

The monitors must meet the standard for eight consecutive quarters before the department could present an official request to the Environmental Protection Agency to redesignate the area as an attainment area for lead. This is to make sure that the air quality improvement is permanent.

The final State Implementation Plan deadline is July 31, 2002, for enclosure and ventilation of the blast furnace building. This project is expected to reduce lead emissions by an additional 40 tons per year. Doe Run is ahead of schedule and has completed the construction of the ductwork and baghouse. The new baghouse was started during the first week of May 2002, and the company is working through the "shakedown" period. Doe Run is working hard to finish enclosing the blast furnace building and is currently ahead of schedule for this part of the project as well.

The air monitoring results for the second quarter of 2002 should be in by the end of July, and the department will be reviewing those results once they are available.

CHEMICAL OXIDATION AT NEWTON COUNTY TCE SITE

In 1991, trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination was discovered in the residential wells in the villages of Silver Creek and Saginaw during routine groundwater monitoring. These villages are located immediately south of Joplin. As a result of the contamination, public water systems were installed in both villages. Investigation of the contamination has led to a source area on the FAG Bearing, Inc. (FAG) property. FAG is a large bearing manufacturer that used TCE as a degreasing agent in its manufacturing operations. The system was decommissioned in the early 1980's.

Chlorinated solvents find minute pathways through soil and rock, allowing the contaminant to flow over the bedrock surface making treatment difficult. Soil vapor extraction or excavation and disposal of the contaminated soil, generally used to remove solvents, cannot be used to clean up contamination flowing over the bedrock surface. It is hoped the chemical oxidation technology may be an alternative solution to chlorinated solvent contamination. If chemical oxidation works well, it could be a faster, easier and more cost-effective method for cleaning up solvents.

Chemical oxidation is the process in which the addition of a chemical into the contaminated area breaks down the contaminant. The reaction is much like adding an acid to a base, as one neutralizes the other. In the case of TCE contamination at FAG, potassium permanganate was injected into the area of contamination at the end of March 2002. The injection rate is controlled through a series of monitoring wells. During the chemical reaction, certain solids are formed, which determine when the application has successfully degraded the TCE. Samples taken in early May 2002 have shown the formation of the solids, indicating that the reaction is occurring. Official sample results will be available in June 2002. During the chemical oxidation process, the department has continued oversight of the project and cleanup activities. This removal action is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3176.

MISSOURI STREAM TEAMS - 2,000 STRONG

JUNE IS STREAM TEAM AWARENESS MONTH

It was 1989 when the first group of volunteer Stream Team members got their environmental feet wet in Missouri. Nine years later, 1,000 teams were doing water quality monitoring, river clean up and other activities to protect rivers and streams all across the state. A short four years later another 1,000 teams have been added to the program. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri sponsor the program.

Department of Natural Resources' Stream Team coordinator, Priscilla Stotts, said the grass roots effort appeals to people because its goals are easy to understand and appreciate: protecting our water. "Team activities are fun and environmentally beneficial," said Stotts. "We have a good training program, confidence in our volunteers' abilities and respect for the data they collect."

The DiGennaro family from Lenox has been taking care of the spring and old fish hatchery at Lane Springs for years. When they learned they could make it official they jumped at the chance to become Stream Team volunteers. The family, in rural Dent County, brought the number of Stream Teams in the state to 2,000. The DiGennaro team member's range in ages from six to 50. Louise DiGennaro says the family picks up trash and pulls branches out of the spring. "We wanted to learn about the critters and crawlers that live in the stream, about the plants that are good for the spring," said DiGennaro. "We're homeschoolers, so even a trip to the river is considered school."

Missouri has more than 56,000 miles of streams within its borders. Two of the greatest rivers in the nation, the Missouri and the Mississippi, meet here. The state comfortably holds the western prairies, eastern deciduous forests and the southeastern lowlands. The watersheds that drain the land and deliver water to those streams are equally diverse. Missouri has a rich river heritage and the wide variety and quality of the water draws thousands of visitors to the state each year for floating, fishing and photo opportunities. Because of its natural beauty, Missouri's Current River was the first river in America to be named a National Scenic River.

Gov. Holden has proclaimed June as Missouri Streams Awareness Month to celebrate the achievements and recognize the contributions that 2,000 Stream Teams have made statewide. Nearly 40,000 residents have made the commitment to come together and become involved by protecting and improving the quality of streams in the state. Between them, they've dedicated more than 100,000 hours of volunteer service towards picking up trash along the rivers, planting trees, stenciling storm drains, writing letters and dozens of other water-related protection activities. Water quality monitoring continues to be one of the most popular methods of showing support and concern for the environment.

"The goal of the celebration is to raise awareness about stream issues and encourage Missourians to take an active role in caring for our streams," said Conservation Department Fisheries Biologist Sherry Fischer. "The Stream Team program is just one way to do that. Learning how we impact streams and stopping actions that negatively effect streams is another great way to help protect water resources."

The DiGennaro's share the same values and curiosity about the world around them. "Where does the water come from? What are the indicators of clean water?" asked DiGennaro, "and how can we help?"

For more information about the program, to join an existing team or start your own Stream Team, call 800-781-1989. You can also visit the Stream Team Web site at www.mostreamteam.org.

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EPA PROPOSES ENHANCED APPROACH TO CLEANING UP AMERICA'S WATERS

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman has proposed a Water Quality Trading Policy to increase the pace and success of cleaning up impaired rivers, streams and lakes throughout the country. EPA officials believe this policy could save the public hundreds of millions of dollars by advancing more effective, efficient partnerships to clean up and protect watersheds. The policy encourages incentives to maintain high water quality where it exists as well as restoring impaired waters. In addition, the policy sets forth what EPA believes is necessary for state and tribal water quality trading programs to be successful and identifies provisions of acceptable trading programs that are consistent with the Clean Water Act and federal regulations.

"Many of us remember when some of our country's rivers were so heavily polluted that they were catching fire in the 1960s," said Whitman. "As a result of the Clean Water Act, signed into law in 1972, the discharge of pollutants by industry was greatly reduced. However, there is more to be done and the policy we are proposing will help enhance the efforts that are already underway. This policy will lead to greater efficiency and better results, while being responsive, as we meet our clean water goals."

Despite the accomplishments of the Clean Water Act, many of America's waterways are still polluted by urban storm water, sanitary sewer overflows, agricultural runoff and pollutants from the air that fall into our waters. What this policy seeks to encourage is more innovative approaches to meeting clean water standards and does not change any of the current regulations or standards that are in place.

"We've made a lot of progress controlling pollution from industrial and municipal sources," Whitman explained. "Now we must look to innovative strategies that complement our current programs, to help us address the remaining challenges. Our Water Quality Trading Policy keeps existing controls and safeguards in place, but offers greater flexibility and incentives to states, tribes and companies to comply with the Clean Water Act. Trading provides incentives for voluntary reductions from all sources to improve and maintain the quality of the nation's waters."

The trading policy seeks to support and encourage states and tribes in developing and implementing water quality trading programs that implement the requirements of the Clean Water Act and federal regulations in more flexible ways and reduce the cost of improving and maintaining the quality of the nation's waters.

Under the proposed policy, industrial and municipal facilities would first meet technology control requirements and then could use pollution reduction credits to make further progress towards water quality goals. In order for a water quality trade to take place, a pollution reduction "credit" should first be created. EPA's water quality trading policy states that sources should reduce pollution loads beyond the level required by the most stringent technology requirements in order to create a pollution reduction "credit" that can be traded. For example, a landowner or a farmer could create credits by changing cropping practices and planting shrubs and trees next to a stream. A municipal wastewater treatment plant then could use these credits to meet water quality limits in its permit.

EPA officials believe that most trading will occur as states, tribes and sources implement programs to restore polluted waters. The policy supports trading among and between regulated and unregulated sources through watershed partnerships and programs developed by states and tribes.

EPA will publish a notice of availability in the Federal Register and post the proposed policy to protect and restore the nation's waters at www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading.html. The policy will be open to public comment for 45 days. The final policy will be released later this summer.

YOUTH WATERSHED SUMMIT

One high school teacher and four students from across the state have been selected to represent Missouri at the national Youth Watershed Summit. America's Clean Water Foundation (ACWF) and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center will host the event Oct. 6-10 in Edgewater, Md.

The ACWF asked Gov. Holden to choose delegates who are dedicated to protecting Missouri's water quality to represent the state during the three-day forum. Approximately 200 students and 50 teachers from across the nation are expected to attend the series of educational and workgroup sessions concerning watershed protection.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources submitted the names of teachers and students involved in the Stream Team program and Project Wet for the Governor's consideration. Dennis Strigerwalt, a teacher at Gallatin R-IV High School was selected for his involvement in 142 water-related activities over the last three years. Some of those activities include water quality monitoring, hosting educational displays and participating in a watershed inventory.

The four students who will accompany Strigerwalt to Maryland are Brandy Feigly, Gallatin, Cody Nickels, Raymondville, Deondra Chandler, Fulton and Carrie Webb, Webb City. Students must be willing and able to participate in a group project over the summer and present their findings during the Youth Summit. They will also be required to produce a 45-second radio spot about their watershed that will be aired as part of a Smithsonian broadcast project.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Clean Water Act. ACWF has named 2002 as the Year of Clean Water with the Youth Watershed Summit being one of many activities planned to commemorate the anniversary.

For more information, contact Priscilla Stotts, Stream Team Coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources' Water Pollution Control Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.

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BUSH PLUGS SECURITY PLAN AT KANSAS CITY WATER PLANT

President Bush visited the Kansas City Water Works on June 11 to make a pitch for his plan to create a homeland security department responsible for protecting everything from U.S. airports to water facilities.

Underscoring the need to protect water supplies from bioterrorists, the president spent about 20 minutes at the water treatment plant. Since Sept. 11, the water treatment plant has hired 24-hour security guards, restricted access to the vast complex and increased security patrols. "I'm pleased to see how secure the plant is," Bush said. "I was pleased to take a big gulp of water when I arrived."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded $115,000 each to publicly owned water systems in Kansas City, Independence, Springfield and St. Louis. The grants are the result of a supplemental appropriation from Congress to help improve the safety and security of the nation's water supplies.

The funds are intended to assist water systems in reducing their vulnerability to terrorist attack and enhance their general security and ability to respond to emergency situations. EPA's goal is to help make drinking water systems more secure as soon as possible.

For more information on water system security, call Deana Cash of the department's Public Drinking Water Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.

INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM

The process of issuing construction permits by the department's Air Pollution Control Program has been audited and reviewed extensively by external teams. The goal of these efforts over the past few years has been to reduce the burden on applicants and to streamline the review process, without sacrificing air quality.

The first process was the Construction Permit Streamlining Workgroup, which convened in July 1997 and met for eight sessions. The workgroup was composed of representatives from a number of organizations typically impacted by the construction permitting process including industry and industry associations, environmental advocacy groups, environmental consultants and government agencies. The group developed 13 specific recommendations, all of which have been implemented.

The Workgroup recommended the Air Pollution Control Program develop and update a Construction Permit Review Manual. The manual serves as a reviewer-training guide, and to document policy decisions that ensure projects are reviewed consistently. The application forms and instructions were completely overhauled. Line-by-line instructions were developed and applications have improved as a result. An exemption was added to exempt small projects from review. This has reduced the number of permitting projects by an estimated 160 projects.

The construction permit process was also audited by the Office of the State Auditor, which issued its report on July 17, 2000. The program has put these recommendations into practice as well. The most notable recommendation was to create an Initial Review Unit. The unit reviews incoming applications to make sure they are complete and ready for the engineers' technical reviews. The unit also handles some of the more routine projects such as relocation requests for portable sources. This has helped decrease permit issuance time. The program has also implemented a variety of other recommendations concerning the way projects and fees are tracked and managed.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also reviewed the effectiveness of the construction permitting program in July 2000 and concluded that the department is "running a very competent permitting program." EPA was particularly satisfied with the quality of the permit documents. Several suggestions were offered to better document permit information, emission calculation assumptions and permitting decisions. More complete permit files have helped when reviewing modifications or additions to previously permitted facilities.

The most recent review of the construction permitting process was led by the Governor's Managing For Results office. A small team representing industry, consultants, and department staff took a fresh look at the process. This broke the process down into every step, evaluating each step's value and looking for ways to reduce or eliminate time from the process by identifying bottlenecks and batch processing holdups. The team held several focus group meetings to seek input from various stakeholders. The Managing For Results team has presented its recommendations to department management. The department is in the process of developing a course of action to implement the recommendations. In some cases, the recommendations are relatively mature ideas and the program can proceed immediately. For the other cases, a set of implementation steps is being developed. Managing For Results' recommendations and implementation steps will be shared with all of the stakeholders, and the department will begin the process of further streamlining new source review.

Even with the large number of applications, the construction permit unit continues to meet the statutory review timeframes more than 99 percent of the time for stationary sources, while maintaining high quality. The Air Pollution Control Program continues to look for ways to improve service to Missouri residents.

For more information, call the Air Pollution Control Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4817.

CHRONIC FAILURE TO MONITOR A CONCERN AT SOME WATER SYSTEMS

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has released a list of drinking water systems that have chronically failed to do required bacteriological testing. The department requires all public water systems to test for bacteria at least once a month to verify that these systems are providing safe drinking water to the public. While failing to monitor does not necessarily mean that the water is unsafe, routine testing is a crucial part of maintaining a safe water supply.

The systems listed have at least three major monitoring violations in a twelve-month period. Months these systems failed to collect at least one routine sample are given for the interval from February 2001 to March 2002; other monitoring violations may have occurred previously. Recent bacteriological results and any maximum contaminant level (MCL) violations in the system's history since 1992 are listed under the specific system.

Department of Natural Resources Director Stephen Mahfood expressed his concern and commitment to correct the problem. "Water that is contaminated with bacteria can cause disease," said Mahfood. "It is of vital importance that systems routinely test their drinking water to ensure the safety of each citizen and visitor of Missouri."

Bacteriological testing can be the first step in identifying and correcting a problem. The next step is to investigate the cause of any bad samples and perform corrective action, such as disinfecting and flushing the system. When a public water system has both a record of failure to monitor and a history of MCL violations, department staff are concerned about the unknown quality of the drinking water. Failing to monitor can result in ongoing bacteriological problems. Often, informing the public of the system's chronic failure to monitor will prompt a system to routinely submit samples.

The vast majority of community and non-community public water systems in the state comply with all monitoring requirements and meet all drinking water standards. Chronic violators are the exception rather than the rule, as this current list of 24 systems represents less than 1 percent of the approximately 2,800 public drinking water systems in Missouri.

These systems' owners have been sent multiple violation notices in addition to certified letters informing them that chronic failure to monitor is unacceptable. Department staff also routinely make frequent on-site inspections and attempt to reach an agreement with the responsible parties to ensure sampling requirements will be met. If compliance with Missouri's drinking water law is still refused, more stringent enforcement action is pursued through legal channels.

The type of bacteria monitored is called total coliform bacteria. These are common in the environment and generally not harmful by themselves. They do indicate the water may be contaminated with organisms that can cause disease. Disease symptoms include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, possible jaundice and associated headaches and fatigue. The presence of these bacteria can result from a number of problems. These could be due to an improperly constructed or deteriorating well, inadequate water treatment, or contamination in the distribution system, including water towers and the mains that distribute the water.

If a sample tests positive for total coliform bacteria, further testing is then performed for fecal coliform or E. coli, bacteria which can directly cause gastrointestinal illness. Most samples that test positive for total coliform test negative for fecal coliform or E. coli. The total coliform positive samples that are listed tested negative for fecal coliform or E. coli unless specifically stated otherwise.

Counties with systems listed are presented in alphabetical order. Systems are given in alphabetical order within each county. Unless otherwise noted, these establishments are open year-round. The cities and counties are given as location references only. Counties with a number of systems listed have a large number of public water systems, most of which are in compliance with drinking water regulations.

Barry County

Jefferson County

Oak Hill Court

Country Aire Estates Retirement Cnt

Raymond's Mexican Food

Engle Ridge Village Subdivision

Camden County

Laclede County

Country Meadow Estates

Elson DBA Midway Restaurant

Poverty Flats Village

Lincoln County

Subway

Skyway Farm

Time Out C-Store

Ozark County

Cooper County

 Top Kat Restaurant

Blackwater

Pettis County

Crawford County

The Palamino

Pump Handle Snack Shop

St. Charles County

Douglas County

King Arthur's Court

Plummer's Junction

St. Louis County

Franklin County

Wildwood Auto Village

Lakeside Water Company

Stone County
Greene County Bearded Clam Restaurant
Wilden Heights Subdivision Oak Creek Parkway
Jasper County Warren County
Royalty Arena Oakview Estates Subdivision
Washington County
LandM Mobile Home Park

For more information, contact the department's Public Drinking Water Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.

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DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS ON PERMIT PROCESS

On May 14, staff from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Solid Waste Management Program and Southwest Regional Office in Springfield met with citizens concerned about the location of a Stericycle infectious waste transfer station. On June 3, the Ozark Board of Aldermen agreed to deny a construction permit for the project based on city ordinances regarding construction in a flood plain and the need for zoning to address medical and hazardous waste facilities.

Stericycle, a nationwide handler of wastes produced by hospitals and medical clinics, had applied to the department in late 2000 for a permit to relocate its Springfield-area transfer station from property formerly owned by Browning-Ferris Industries, (BFI) and sold to Allied Waste Industries. BFI had operated an infectious waste transfer station at the site before selling the business to Stericycle.

In May 2001, citizens living in the neighborhood of the proposed transfer station on North 21st Street in Ozark asked the department to hold a public hearing on the permit. Department, Stericycle and city of Ozark officials participated. In November, the permit to construct the transfer station was granted. However, Stericycle and Air Park, Inc. of Ozark failed to agree on a lease. The waste handlers then applied for a permit to construct the transfer station on property owned by Nick Roussell on North 17th Street in Ozark. The department did not receive a second request for a public hearing on the permit. Both sites had been zoned for light industrial uses. In late March 2002, this permit was approved.

Citizens opposed to the construction of the transfer station objected in April that a second public hearing was not held and suggested that the Ozark Planning and Zoning Commission should reject that use for the industrial park land. Action on that request was tabled, but the Board of Aldermen later acted to block construction of a Stericycle transfer station on the Roussell property. The aldermen also began the process of creating a new zoning classification for medical and hazardous waste facilities in Ozark.

While the time was past for calling a public hearing on the second permit application, the department did arrange to hold a public availability session in May to answer questions about the construction permit. Stericycle and City of Ozark officials were on hand. About 30 citizens participated in discussions at the Community Center.

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Solid Waste Management Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401.

FFA MAKES IT REAL

The 74th Annual State Convention of the Missouri FFA Association was held at the Hearnes Center in Columbia April 18 and 19. The hard work and achievements of many young people who represented the future in the field of agriculture were rewarded. Scott Totten, director of the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection and Soil Conservation Division, presented the Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management award to Jennifer Smith, a member of the Columbia FFA chapter. Her parents are Michael and Stephanie Smith. Her advisor is Larry Henneke. Agriculture proficiency awards are available to all FFA members enrolled in high school agriculture, including special needs students.

The award area of Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management involves receiving practical experiences concerned with the principles and practices of managing or improving the environment and natural resources. Activities may include management of agricultural waste, recycling of agriculture products, environmental clean-ups, conservation corps, agricultural energy usage, multiple uses of resources, land use regulations including soil, water and air quality, preservation of wetlands, grasslands, wildlife surveys, erosion prevention practices, public relations and education concerning pollution.

Smith was one of 49 individuals chosen as a State Agricultural Proficiency Award winner. She serves as a positive role model for other students pursuing a career in agriculture, food and natural resources. As a FFA member, Smith's supervised agricultural experience (SAE) consisted of learning experiences supervised by her FFA advisor. Smith's SAE included: setting and controlling burns, trapping nuisance animals, seeding pastures, fencing off creeks and cross-fencing to establish rotational grazing.

Smith has been very active in her FFA chapter by attending both the state and national FFA conventions. She also has been very successful on several different teams at the state level.

The Missouri FFA Association is a youth organization of 20,588 student members preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture with 287 local chapters. FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. FFA is a national organization of 457,278 members in 7,312 local chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. National membership is at its highest point since 1983.

Each state winner receives a framed certificate and a $100 cash award. They also have an opportunity to advance to the national level that will be held in Kentucky. At this competition each national finalist receives a plaque and a $250 cash award, and can apply for and compete to participate in an international travel experience. Each national winner receives an additional plaque and an additional $250 cash award.

UNION STAR TAKES FIRST AND THIRD AT STATE ENVIROTHON COMPETITION

What's better than having the team from your school take first place at the state Envirothon competition? Having two teams from your school place first and third at the same event. For the students of Union Star, taking two of the three top honors was more than they had hoped for. "We knew both teams were up for the challenge. All of our hard work paid off and we're just excited that it was our year to win," said Union Star senior Aaron White.

The 5th annual Missouri State Envirothon competition was held May 2, 2002, at Camp Cloverpoint at Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Lake Ozark. Twenty teams competed in the areas of soils, aquatics, wildlife, forestry and the 2002 conservation issue, non-native species.

The state competition features the top three teams from each of Missouri's seven regional competitions. At the state level, the teams rotated through five challenge stations as well as an oral presentation station.

After a morning of hands-on natural resource testing and problem solving, the students relaxed with their teammates for a catered lunch. After lunch, it was back to the rotation schedule to finish testing. "This is really a tight schedule for these kids. It's no walk in the park, but they seem to really enjoy getting out of the classroom and getting their hands dirty. At the end of the day, their problem solving skills have been taxed and they are ready to relax for the awards ceremony." said Peggy Lemons, chair of the Missouri State Envirothon.

After the scores were tallied, winners were announced. The 2002 Missouri State Envirothon champion was the team from Union Star High School. Union Star also brought a second team to the competition that placed third. Leeton High School were the second place winners. The winners will advance to the Canon Envirothon in Amherst, Mass. at the end of July. "This is an excellent opportunity for the students to have fun and learn at the same time. Not to mention the chance at a $3,000 scholarship from Canon for each member of the winning team at the national competition" said Lemons.

The Envirothon is North America's largest high school natural resources competition with over 40 states and seven Canadian provinces competing at the national level. The 2003 state competition will be held May 1, 2003. Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District office for regional competition dates and find out how you can become involved as a volunteer today!

Sponsors for this event include the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Department of Conservation, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Missouri Conservation Federation. For more information regarding the Missouri Envirothon contact Peggy Lemons at 573-893-5188, ext. 3 or e-mail at peggyl@maswcd.net or Judy Stinson at (573)751-4932 or e-mail at judy.stinson@dnr.mo.gov.

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WHITMAN ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF LATEST TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY; INCLUDES NEW "PBT" DATA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued its annual report on the amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment. The report shows that trends of declining overall releases are continuing. Total releases of chemicals nationwide decreased by about 700 million pounds during 2000, the latest year for which data are available. This year's report of the Toxics Release Inventory (or TRI) contains new data on persistent bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemicals, such as dioxins, mercury and PCBs, giving communities a more complete picture of the sources of chemicals in their environment. As reported to EPA, total chemical releases into the environment decreased nationwide from 7.8 billion pounds in 1999 to 7.1 billion pounds in 2000. Based on trends since the inception of TRI, chemical releases have decreased approximately 48 percent since 1988.

"The Toxics Release Inventory is a powerful tool to help citizens assess local environmental conditions and to help them make decisions about protecting their environment. I am pleased that we are beginning to provide additional data on persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals since they can remain in the environment for extended periods and build up in humans and the environment," said EPA Administrator Christie Whitman. It will be important for us to use these data in conjunction with other environmental information to analyze trends in environmental indicators at both the national and local levels."

Looking at all chemical releases, approximately 27 percent of chemicals were released to air, four percent to water and 69 percent to land on- and off-site. As in previous years, releases from the metal mining industry in 2000 made up a substantial portion of all chemical releases, 47 percent or approximately 3.4 billion pounds. This was a decrease of more than14 percent from releases in 1999. Releases from manufacturing industries accounted for 32 percent of all releases or about 2.3 billion pounds, a 2.6 decrease from 1999. About 16 percent of the releases were from electric utilities, about 1.15 billion pounds, achieving a three percent decrease from 1999.

In 1999 EPA required certain additional persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals, including dioxins, to be reported under TRI using a lower reporting threshold than the other TRI chemicals. In that action, the Agency also established lower reporting thresholds for 13 PBT chemicals already on the inventory.

In filing reporting year 2000 chemical reports, over 600 TRI reporting facilities took advantage of EPA's new TRI interactive, intelligent reporting software tool, called "TRI-ME" or "TRI Made Easy." The program assists facilities in determining and completing their TRI reporting obligations and was made available on a limited basis for 2000 reporting. It has been sent to all TRI reporting facilities for 2001 reporting. TRI-ME is designed both to simplify and expedite reporting, and to improve the quality of the data submitted to TRI.

The Toxics Release Inventory was established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. Under that legislation, the TRI program requires industrial facilities to publicly report quantities of toxic chemicals annually released into the air, water and land. Overall, TRI includes information on releases and other waste management methods for over 650 toxic chemicals and chemical categories. The data available today are based on reports from manufacturing industries, metal mines, certain coal mining activities, electrical utilities that burn coal or oil, hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities, chemical wholesale distributors, petroleum bulk plants and terminals and solvent recovery services. In total, this year's data are based on approximately 91,500 forms submitted by 23,500 facilities.

TRI annual reports reflect releases and other waste management activities of chemicals, not exposures of the public to those chemicals. The release estimates alone are not sufficient to determine exposure or to calculate potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. The determination of potential risk depends upon many factors, including toxicity, chemical fate after release, release location and population concentrations. The 2000 Toxic Release Inventory data and background information on the TRI program are available at www.epa.gov/tri.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SAFE DRINKING WATER COMMISSION TO MEET JULY 16

The Missouri Safe Drinking Water Commission will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., July 16 at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Conference Center, 1738 E. Elm St., Jefferson City.

The commission will vote on the final Radionuclide and Filter Backwash Recycling rules. Other items on the tentative agenda include discussion of state rulemaking to adopt EPA's arsenic and Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment rules, and updates on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and state and federal legislation.

For more information call the Department of Natural Resources' Public Drinking Water Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.

SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONEMENTAL EDUCATION TO BE HELD NOV. 22-24

The Missouri Environmental Education Association and the Office of Environmental Education announce the seventh annual Conference on Environmental Education to be held Nov. 22-24, at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. People who attend this conference will learn about innovative environmental education efforts throughout Missouri, take home environmental education activities, join other educators and obtain college credit if desired.

Conference sponsors are currently accepting proposals to present at the conference. This conference typically draws about 350 formal and non-formal educators from across Missouri to explore current issues and trends in environmental education and share ideas for improving environmental literacy.

The deadline for submitting presentation proposals is June 7. For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-6627, or visit www.successlink.org.

RUN, WALK, HOP OR FLY TO THE FOURTH ANNUAL ENDANGERED SPECIES WALK/RUN

The fourth annual Endangered Species Walk/Run will be held Saturday, October 19. There will be three races; a 10k run, 5k run and 5k walk, all on the KATY Trail in north Jefferson City. Event headquarters will be the North Jefferson City Park pavilion at the intersection of highways 63 and 54.

Participants and volunteers will receive long-sleeved T-shirts with artwork created by Conservation Department artist Mark Raithel. The artwork features species of conservation concern that live in prairies, with the natural community being highlighted at this year's race.

Registration costs $15 for participants 15 and older, and $10 for those 14 and younger. Entry forms are available from Endangered Species Walk/Run, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, or call 573-751-4115 ext. 3807. Registration forms can also be found at www.missouriconservation.com and type in keyword: walkrun.

T-shirts are available for a donation of $18 for those wishing not to participate. Just make a note of it on the registration form.

This year's walk/run is sponsored by the Missouri departments of Natural Resources and Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jefferson City Parks and Recreation and several other conservation organizations.

Contributions generated from the walk/run will benefit endangered species by funding recovery, research, protection, and education activities. More than 500 walkers and runners participated last year to support Missouri's endangered plants and animals.

DEPARTMENT TO HOLD NITROGEN DISCUSSION IN SPRINGFIELD

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is organizing a discussion group to evaluate how nutrient standards in Missouri might be published and implemented. The discussion will be held from 1-4 p.m., June 26 at the Executive Conference Center, 910 West Battlefield, Springfield.

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently developing guidelines for nutrient criteria based on broad eco-regions and water body type. States will have latitude in establishing final criteria, setting standards based on a more refined eco-region classification system. The criteria guidelines will include numeric standards for Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Chlorophyll and Total Suspended Solids.

A stakeholder group from the Table Rock Lake watershed previously worked on phosphorus issues and determined the limits and compliance schedule contained in the final rule. The department would like to form a similar discussion group in the James River basin to discuss the issues related to nitrogen criteria.

Potential discussion topics include the feasibility of various in-stream nitrogen targets, ramifications of nitrogen removal for permitted discharges and potential consequences of nitrogen standards for nonpoint source community.

For more information on nutrient criteria, visit http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/nutrient/ or http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/nutrient/files/policy20070525.pdf

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-7428.

SBCAC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING AUG. 22

The Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting Aug. 22, at Fred Weber Corporate Office, 2320 Creve Coeur Mill Road, Maryland Heights. A subsequent meeting will be held Nov. 21 at Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Jefferson City Regional Office, 210 Hoover Dr., Jefferson City.

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-6627.

DEPARTMENT TO HOST PUBLIC MEEETING JULY 11 IN HEMATITE

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will host an availability session from 6:30-7 p.m., and a public meeting from 7-8:30 p.m., July 11 at the Holiday Inn, 1200 Gannon Dr. in Festus. The meeting will focus on groundwater contamination and cleanup.

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3176.

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RULE UPDATE

For more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Air and Land Protection Division at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-6892.

Air Pollution Control

Control of Gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure
Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-05.443 - Removes the low Reid Vapor Pressure requirements for gasoline in the St. Louis ozone nonattainment area.
Public comment ends:
August 1, 2002		 Public hearing:
July 25, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Maximum Allowable Emissions of Particulate Matter From Fuel Burning Equipment

Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-04.040 - Amends the rule to make the particulate emission limitations from indirect heating sources consistent with the outstate requirements.
Public comment ends:
July 5, 2002		 Public hearing:
June 28, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Maximum Allowable Emissions of Particulate Matter From Fuel Burning Equipment

Rule Number: 10 CSR010-03.060 - Removes conflicting rule requirements and amends the rule text concerning the control of particluate matter emissions from indirect heating sources to be consistent with St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield-Greene County area indirect heating rule text.
Public comment ends:
July 5, 2002		 Public hearing:
June 28, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Sales Tax Exemption
Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-06.320 - Adds specific automotive parts eligible for sales tax exemption.
Public comment ends:
October 3, 2002		 Public hearing:
September 26, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Control of Emissions From Perchloroethylene Dry Cleaning Installations
Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-02.280 - Rescinds an outdated and redundant rule.
Public comment ends:
September 5, 2002		 Public hearing:
August 29, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Control of Emissions From Perchloroethylene Dry Cleaning Installations
Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-05.320 - Rescinds an outdated and redundant rule.
Public comment ends:
September 5, 2002		 Public hearing:
August 29, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Motor Vehicle Emissions Inspection
Rule Number: 10 CSR010-05.380 - Incorporates On-board Diagnostics testing requirements and requires an improvement in emissions before a waiver can be issued.
Public comment ends:
August 1, 2002		 Public hearing:
July 25, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
Filed, not yet published		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Air Pollution Control

Control of Petroleum Liquid Storage, Loading and Transfer
Rule Number: 10 CSR 010-02.260 - Corrects tank size references because large tanks should have sophisticated poppeted filling mechanisms and Stage I recovery equipment rather than simple controls used on small tanks. Also a definistion for Stage I vapor recovery was added.
Public comment ends:
July 25, 2002		 Public hearing:
June 28, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
27 MoReg 699		 Department contact:
573-751-4817

Public Drinking Water

Maximum Turbidity Contaminant Levels and Monitoring Requirements and Filter Back
Rule Number: 10 CSR 060-04.050 - This amendment adopts the EPA Filter Backwash Recycling Rule.
Public comment ends:
June 14, 2002		 Public hearing:
May 23, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
27 MoReg 325		 Department contact:
573-751-5331

Public Drinking Water

Maximum Radionuclide Contaminant Levels and Monitoring
Rule Number: 10 CSR 060-04.060 - This rule is being rescinded and readopted in order to adopt new EPA monitoring requirements and uranium maximum contaminant levels.
Public comment ends:
June 14, 2002		 Public hearing:
May 23, 2002
Missouri Register Citation:
27 MoReg 329		 Department contact:
573-751-5331

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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public service announcements may be downloaded for use by any newspaper, magazine, newsletter, radio stations, etc. The department will continue to add new announcements to the Web each month. If you would like to receive new announcements by e-mail as they are made available, please contact kathy.deters@dnr.mo.gov and provide your publication name and e-mail address.

REGIONAL OFFICE MAP

Department of Natural Resources' Regional Offices provide field inspections, complaint investigation and front-line troubleshooting, problem solving and technical assistance on environmental and emergencies for the following programs:

  • Air Pollution
  • Drinking Water
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Solid Waste
  • Technical Assistance
  • Water Pollution

Map showing department regional boundaries.

INTERNET ADDRESSES

Missouri Department of Natural Resources at www.dnr.mo.gov

Division of Environmental Quality at www.dnr.mo.gov/env

Air Pollution Control Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp

Division of Geology and Land Survey at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/

Energy Center at www.dnr.mo.gov/energy

Environmental Services Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/esp

Gateway Clean Air Program at www.gatewaycleanair.com

Hazardous Waste Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp

Historic Preservation at www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/index.html

Land Reclamation Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/lrp

Soil and Water Conservation Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swcp

Solid Waste Management Program at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp

State Parks, Division of at www.mostateparks.com

Water Protection Program - Drinking Water Branch at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp

Water Protection Program - Water Pollution Branch at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp

SUBSCRIBE ON THE WEB TO READ PROTECTING MISSOURI'S NATURAL RESOURCES NEWSLETTER ONLINE

Sign up now to receive a monthly e-mail reminder and link to the online version of Protecting Missouri’s Natural Resources newsletter. A subscription form is now available on the Web at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/pmnr/subscribe_pmnr.htm. People who subscribe will receive an e-mail containing a link to the latest issue of the newsletter.

If you subscribe to receive the online newsletter, please let us know to cancel your current hard copy subscription to save printing and mailing costs associated with the newsletter.

Contact us at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-6892 or send an e-mail to cancel your hard copy subscription to elisha.bonnot@dnr.mo.gov.

LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN IMPROVE PROTECTING MISSOURI’S NATURAL RESOURCES NEWSLETTER

The staff of Protecting Missouri’s Natural Resources values your feedback about information you want to see in future issues of our newsletter. Send us your comments and suggestions about what information you want to see included in the newsletter.

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