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

APRIL 2004

KEEPING ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE WHEN NATURAL DISASTERS OCCUR
Tornado season is here and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the State Emergency Management Agency have some tips for safety for before and after a tornado strikes.

If you hear a tornado warning, a basement is the safest place to seek shelter. Avoid windows and chimneys, hide under furniture or stairwells and protect your head. In a home without a basement, seek the lowest level in the central portion of the building. Find a small room, closet or hallway. Avoid exterior walls and windows. If you live in a mobile home, evacuation is a must. Seek shelter in a permanent structure. If necessary, go to a low spot, such as a ditch or ravine.

During a disaster the highest priority is protection of human life and safety. As soon as the immediate threat is over, take personal safety precautions to ensure your family's health.

Damage to water systems

Natural disasters can damage on-site wastewater systems. Some of the systems may be so damaged that repairs will be required before they will work again. Health and safety hazards can exist from exposed sewage and damaged systems. Take personal safety precautions when examining your system for damage and when making repairs.

Recommendations:

• Avoid contact with sewage. Raw sewage is a public health concern and can contribute to the spread of disease. Good personal hygiene, including hand washing, is necessary.
• Treat surfacing sewage with hydrated lime or diluted household bleach. Wear gloves. Handle chemicals carefully. Follow all listed precautions.
• Check for missing septic tank or treatment system access covers. Secure openings with temporary cover.
• Check for electrical system damage on systems with electric pumps and motors.
• Take care during cleanup operations not to drive over drainfields, low-pressure pipe fields or drip irrigation fields. This could damage your system.
• Carefully remove debris from wastewater lagoons. Repair damaged berms and fences.
• Do not use the wastewater system if sewage is backing up into the house.
• Carefully investigate the cause of sewage backups. Look for broken and blocked plumbing and vents. Have the wastewater system serviced by a professional.
• Flooded systems will remain inoperable until floodwater recedes and the ground where the treated wastewater is absorbed becomes somewhat dry.
• Do not pump flood-damaged septic tanks dry until the groundwater level has dropped sufficiently. Doing so may cause the tank to float upward or to collapse due to ground water pressure outside the tank.
• After the groundwater has dropped sufficiently, have a professional check the tank to determine the solids level prior to using the system. If solids are near the outlet pipe or baffle, the tank should be pumped before use.
• The greatest threat to flood-damaged septic systems is the clogging of drainfield lines with sewage sludge and silt left by receding floodwaters.
• Try to minimize the amount of mud and silt entering the plumbing system during cleanup operations. Mud can fill the septic tank and clog lateral lines.
• Installation of a septic tank effluent filter can help prevent drain-field clogging.
• Do not enter the septic tank. Septic tanks can contain hazardous fumes and gases that are potentially fatal.

Contact your local county health department or the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Section of Environmental Public Health, at 1-866-628-9891 or 573-751-6095, with questions about on-site wastewater system repair or replacement

Wastewater System Abandonment

Some on-site wastewater systems might be abandoned after a natural disaster. The following recommendations will help ensure that the site formerly used for wastewater treatment and disposal is safe:

• Disconnect power at the source to all electrical controls and remove controls and panels.
• Have a septage hauler pump the wastewater and sludge from all the tanks in the system.
• Fill tanks with sand or gravel to prevent future collapse, remove the tanks or crush in place. Backfill the excavation to a natural grade and establish a vegetative cover.
• Remove all parts of the system on the ground surface such as valves, valve boxes and risers. Backfill the area to a natural grade and establish a vegetative cover.
• Coat all surface areas exposed to wastewater with hydrated lime and establish a vegetative cover.
• Wait at least 18 months before using the wastewater disposal area for gardening or construction.

Disposing of Appliances

Cities and counties are encouraged to coordinate collection of storm damaged appliances for collection, using their own public works vehicles or contract help. Cities and counties should establish centralized collection centers to accumulate damaged appliances. Refrigerants should be removed from air conditioners, freezers and refrigerators before recycling them. Individuals needing to dispose of damaged appliances should contact their local officials first for collection of drop-off information, either for recycling or disposal. In rural areas where local assistance is not available, individuals should contact scrap metal recyclers.

How to Deal with Disaster Debris

In urban areas, contact municipalities for information on local collection of this material or the location of a centralized drop-off area. Material containing asbestos, tires and other materials that may generate toxic fumes, such as plastics, synthetic materials and shingles should not be burned. Cleanup of commercial buildings may need to be done by a registered asbestos contractor.
In rural areas, individual homeowners do not need a permit from the Department of Natural Resources to burn vegetation waste resulting from storm damage provided it originates on-site. Demolition waste cannot be burned without a permit from the Department of Natural Resources. The Department can advise you on how to reduce the air quality impact and minimize complaints. Cities may not burn vegetation or demolition waste without a permit from the Department of Natural Resources.

Local fire authorities should be contacted prior to any burning. Open burning of wood may be permitted, but extreme caution should be used. Any wood that has been painted or treated should not be burned.

In rural areas, material may be open burned between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Material may be buried on-site using a minimum of two feet of clean cover.

In both urban and most rural areas, materials may be disposed of in a permitted sanitary or demolition landfill. In certain emergency situations, items that might otherwise be banned from landfill disposal may be allowed at the landfill. Please contact the disposal facility to determine if such a waiver has been authorized by the Governor or Department of Natural Resources during the period of emergency.

Damaged or Unusable Hazardous Chemicals at Businesses

Owners, managers and employees returning to a business that has been affected by a natural disaster may find materials or products that are damaged and unusable. Products labeled with words such as POISON, DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION contain hazardous chemicals. Materials used in business activity, manufacturing or maintenance may have hazardous characteristics. They may be TOXIC, EXPLOSIVE, IGNITABLE OR CORROSIVE.

• If possible, recover these materials for use for their intended purpose. If this is not possible, the damaged or unusable hazardous materials should be separated from other debris or solid waste and placed in containers so that further human contact and release to the environment is minimized. Permanently mark the outside of the container with the name of the material inside and the potential hazard (e.g., Endrin Waste - TOXIC).
• Use extreme caution when cleaning up hazardous materials in leaking or damaged containers. Wear protective garments and emergency breathing apparatus if necessary. Do not work around these damaged products in confined or poorly ventilated areas. Obtain professional hazardous materials response and cleanup services if appropriate.
• Storm or building debris that is contaminated with hazardous materials may need to be handled and disposed of as hazardous waste.
• Disposal of hazardous materials as hazardous waste must be in accord with the Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Law and Regulations using a licensed hazardous materials transporter at a permitted hazardous waste disposal facility.
• Contact one of the department's regional offices or the Hazardous Waste Program if specific guidance is needed on determining whether a waste is hazardous and how to properly manage and dispose of the waste.

Drums, Tanks and Barrels

• Most barrels that wash up in a flood are open-burn barrels, trash barrels or dock barrels.
• There may be danger in sealed barrels, drums or tanks with unknown contents. Trained professionals should handle these items. If you find sealed drums, barrels or tanks of unknown contents, call the department's Environmental Emergency Response staff at 573-634-2436.
• If a propane tank is in flood debris, a company distributing gas may be able to identify the tank and return it to its proper location. Propane tanks have serial numbers that help to identify owners and locations.
• If propane tanks are present or are found and there is reason to believe that they may be unsafe, contact the local emergency management coordinator, or the department's Environmental Emergency Response staff at 800-361-4827 or 573-634-2436.
• If an above ground storage tank is damaged, follow your facility emergency response procedures, and contact the local emergency management coordinator or the department's Environmental Emergency Response staff at 800-361-4827 or 573-634-2436.

Staff in the department's Environmental Emergency Response (EER) section provide various kinds of technical assistance and on-site activities related to incidents involving hazardous materials.

Personnel staff a 24-hour telephone hotline, 573-634-2436, to receive notification of environmental emergencies. Callers can also receive technical assistance about response, containment and cleanup of hazardous materials. On a daily basis staff provide information to local officials, industry and citizens about proper management of hazardous materials, cleanup standards and remediation technologies.

For more information, call the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827.

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DEPARTMENT AND 3M COMPANY WORK TOGETHER TO CLEAN AIR AND PROVIDE BUSINESS GROWTH

Flexible Air Permit Provides Model for Efficient Environmental Protection

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recently issued a flexible permit to the 3M Company to expand its commercial graphics plant in Nevada.

The flexible permit is a new permitting method that is part of a pilot project with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters. The flexible permit will place an emissions limit on volatile organic compounds, such as chemical solvents, from the facility and allow pre-approved changes to occur at the facility with little advance notice.

3M was approved by EPA and the Department of Natural Resources to participate in this pilot project. 3M's commitment to the environment is illustrated by the numerous awards it has received, such as the Missouri Governor's Pollution Prevention
Award and EPA Region 7's Pollution Prevention Award for Environmentally Preferred Products. These awards recognize 3M
as a leader in responsible environmental management. In addition, 3M has received flexible air permits in Minnesota and Oklahoma for pilot projects.

In this pilot project, the Department of Natural Resources teamed up with 3M, EPA regional offices and EPA headquarters along with Texas and Alabama to develop a network of flexible permits in three states. Besides permitting efforts in Missouri, 3M-owned sister plants in Texas and Alabama have proposed similar permits.

The flexible permit will allow 3M to increase operational flexibility without affecting air quality. Using the federal regulations as guidance, the department has developed a plant-wide emissions limitation with a pre-approval process. This process will allow
3M to quickly install and remove equipment while reducing the need for pre-construction permitting. As a trade-off, the permit sets forth performance testing, monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements in order to demonstrate compliance with the emission limitation.

Through cooperative efforts between the department, 3M and EPA, 3M will be able to accommodate its growing business and increase manufacturing flexibility while lowering overall plant emissions and reducing the plant's impact on air quality.

For more information on this project or flexible permitting, contact the Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or
573-751-4817.

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ST. LOUIS SITE CLEANUP COMPLETED

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program (B/VCP) has issued a certificate of completion for St. Louis City Blocks 107-108 to clean up groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents (tetrachloroethene, TCE). Former occupants of the site used solvents in their operations. The buildings were removed during the downtown revival efforts in the 1980s. The site is a paved parking lot located at 400 South Broadway in St. Louis.

Pillsbury, the current owner of the lot, entered the B/VCP in 2001 for oversight of site characterization and potential remediation. Dames and Moore, a consulting firm, conducted an environmental site assessment, which revealed that only groundwater was effected. Groundwater monitoring revealed concentrations of TCE at the site. Chemicals of concern were slightly above the applicable cleanup criteria. Pillsbury used a risk-based approach to assess the potential for closing the site using the department's Preliminary Draft Process Document. The risk-based approach showed the levels were protective of human health and the environment without further active remediation, provided groundwater is not used. Pillsbury filed a restrictive covenant in the property chain of title prohibiting groundwater use on the site.

Gaslight Square Site, St. Louis

The subject site is presented as the 4200 block of Olive Blvd. in St. Louis. This district was very popular in the 1950s for art, entertainment and nightlife. In the late 1960s, the area declined in popularity. By 1972, almost no businesses remained. Presently, there are many vacant homes and lots in this area. Site assessments revealed soil contamination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). The participant, Gaslight Square, L.L.C., chose to remove contaminated soil by way of excavation in accordance with the department-approved remedial action plan. SCI Engineering Inc. removed approximately 2,800 cubic yards of soil from the excavation area and disposed of the soil in Allied Waste Landfill in Roxana, Ill. Gaslight Square, L.L.C., plans to develop single family homes on the site. Final Certification of Completion has been issued for the site.

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

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EMISSION BANKING AND TRADING PROGRAM PERMANENTLY

REMOVES OVER 2,000 TONS OF EMISSIONS IN 2003

As of Dec. 31, 2003, the Emissions Banking and Trading Program, administered by the department's Air Pollution Control Program, permanently removed an estimated 2,486 tons of pollution from the air. The Emissions Banking and Trading Program allows air contaminant sources to bank excess emissions reductions that can be purchased by new or expanding sources later.

The Banking and Trading Program was developed by the department with the help of stakeholders to ensure progress toward improving air quality while maintaining sustainable economic growth. The program is also a means to encourage existing sources to reduce air emissions voluntarily. Facilities located in a nonattainment area or maintenance area with actual emissions above 10 tons per year may bank their voluntary reductions as emissions credits for later use or sale.

Each year, The Air Pollution Control Program permanently retires three percent of the emissions in the bank as an environmental contribution. These credits are then no longer available for use or sale. The 2003 environmental contribution was an estimated 2,486 tons.

The program acknowledges the following facilities for controlling emissions beyond the level necessary for regulatory compliance and contributing to the annual three percent retirement.

• Kansas City Power and Light Company
• Printpack Inc.
• Hussman Corporation
• Doe Run Company Buick Resource Recycling Facility
• The Dow Chemical Company
• Ford Motor Company world Headquarters
• Hercules Inc.
• Jefferson Smurfit Corporation
• Mallinckrodt Chemical
• Mississippi Lime Company
• Quebecor Printing Sayers, Inc.
• Solutia Inc.
• Trigen-Kansas City District Energy
• 3M Environmental Operations

The Air Pollution Control Program maintains account balances of banked emissions and is available upon request. The Emissions Banking and Trading Rule became effective April 30, 2003.

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ST. LOUIS COMMERCE CENTER, MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVE IN ST. LOUIS

The Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program, (B/VCP) has issued a final certification of completion for the cleanup of Phase II of the St. Louis Commerce Center site. The site received a Phoenix Award for Excellence in Brownfield Redevelopment from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2000. This successful redevelopment is located on six city blocks of the city's designated 16-block Martin Luther King Business Park area, on Martin Luther King Drive only a few blocks west of the Edward Jones Dome. Decline and eventual abandonment of the area progressed through the 1960s and '70s.

The St. Louis Commerce Center before.	The St. Louis Commerce Center after.

The St. Louis Development Corp. (SLDC) gained title to the entire six-block site and performed site assessments beginning in 1993 using a Brownfield Assessment Pilot grant. The assessments identified contamination from a century of uses such as metal plating, gas stations and junkyards. The city had demolished some buildings and graded the lots, but additional abandoned, burned-out and collapsing brick buildings were a safety hazard, and the vacant 8-story concrete Lambert Pharmacal building, built in 1907, loomed over Martin Luther King Drive. The site is located across the street from two schools and was unfenced and accessible to the public.

SLDC enrolled the site in the department's Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program in 1998 to provide a route to environmental liability relief for prospective new owners. The site is also eligible for state Brownfield Remediation Tax Credits.

Developer Balke-Brown Associates stepped forward to take on this challenging site, and Environmental Operations Inc. performed the environmental cleanup. Phase I of the new development, completed in 2000 on two of the six blocks, is a much-needed 150,000-square foot warehouse/light manufacturing facility. Phase II, a 337,000-square foot facility similar to Phase I, was constructed after demolition of structures and cleanup of soil on the remaining four blocks was completed in 2000. Both buildings are state-of-the-art facilities with 26-foot ceilings. Groundwater investigation continued after construction of the Phase II building, and included drilling several monitoring wells through the floor while tenants actively used the facility. After monitoring and analysis, the heavy metals and solvents found in groundwater beneath the old plating operation was found not to be a health or environmental risk, and no further action was required.

The St. Louis Commerce Center will affect the entire surrounding area in a positive way. Both facilities are 100 percent leased, indicating pent-up demand for this type of development in the city's core. The city of St. Louis has recently announced a streetscape improvement project on MLK Drive just west of the site, and has recently completed a streetscape project on Washington Avenue four blocks to the south. The Gateway Classic Sports Foundation has constructed a new recreation facility across MLK to the south of the site to provide after school activities for children. The department commends Balke-Brown Associates and the St. Louis Development Corporation on the successful completion of an ambitious environmental cleanup and redevelopment project. This site is the 189th site cleaned up in the B/VCP since 1994.

For more information, call the department's Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3176.

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DEPARTMENT CO-HOSTS PUBLIC MEETING ON INDIAN CREEK POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL (PCB) CONCERNS

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) hosted a public meeting on Feb. 19, 2004, at the Evangel Temple in Kansas City. Approximately 50 people attended, including staff representing the department, EPA and ATSDR.

The public meeting addressed a variety of concerns related to Indian Creek, near the Department of Energy (DOE) - Kansas City Plant (also known as Honeywell), near Troost Avenue. Despite years of efforts by DOE and EPA, historic contamination at the plant continues to present cleanup and compliance issues for both hazardous waste and water pollution requirements. In response to public concerns, the department took additional samples of the creek water and sediment and conducted a survey to find out how much the surrounding neighborhoods used Indian Creek. ATSDR and EPA also reviewed their health and risk assessments.

At the public meeting, the department gave presentations pertaining to the history of the site, actions taken at the site, and sampling and survey results. EPA discussed their risk assessment and ATSDR discussed their community health consultation. The general message of the presentations was that the low levels of PCB in the water and sediment of Indian Creek do not pose a health threat to people. These agencies have committed to continue to work with the community to address their concerns and protect human health and the environment.

The meeting also included a half-hour open session before and after the presentations, as an opportunity for anyone to ask questions and share information with agency representatives and facility staff on a one-to-one basis. The department invited representatives from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Kansas City Plant, and the Sierra Club to be available to answer questions from the public. Representative Cathy Jolly and Councilman Chuck Eddy were also available.

The department will continue to work with the public, EPA and the facility to get input on addressing concerns and ensure public involvement in this process. For more information, please contact Heidi Rice, of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3553. For more information on hazardous waste issues in Missouri, please refer to the program's home page at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/.

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MISSOURI AGENCIES TEAM UP TO BOOST BIODIESEL, CREATE REVENUE

Actor-activist Dennis Weaver joins celebration of Energy Policy Act credit sale

Missouri has received $180,500 from the trade of 200 federal alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) credits earned by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The funds are available to MoDOT from the Biodiesel Fuel Revolving Fund, and will be used to purchase cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel for MoDOT's equipment and vehicles.

The Department of Natural Resources manages the fund, created by Missouri lawmakers as a depository for Energy Policy Act (EPAct) credit trading proceeds, to assist state agencies with the incremental cost of using biodiesel with a minimum biodiesel concentration of B-20 (20 percent biodiesel mixed with 80 percent diesel.) Missouri agencies using biodiesel and generating EPAct credits also include the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Corrections.

MoDOT earned the credits by purchasing more AFVs for their vehicle fleet than required under the EPAct of 1992. The agency also earned AFV credits by using biodiesel in its existing diesel vehicles, which EPAct rules allow.

The Department of Natural Resources serves as the state's "bank" for EPAct credits. The buyer of the AFV credits was
Southern California Edison, an electric power company serving the metropolitan Los Angeles area. Missouri-born actor and environmental advocate Dennis Weaver, well known for his promotion of alternative fuels, joined the agencies for the announcement of the biodiesel funding.

"I'm delighted to see Missouri taking actions to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," said Weaver. "Innovative state funding tools like Missouri's Biodiesel Fuel Revolving Fund help build markets for renewable fuels, help clean the air and ultimately will help us create a sustainable future for our kids." Weaver is the founder of the Institute of Ecolonomics, a nonprofit institute in Ridgway, Colo., that promotes the development and adoption of renewable energy sources and fosters their development into viable businesses.

Weaver's campaigns include the "International Hydrogen Drive 2004," a caravan of hydrogen, hybrid and bio-fuel vehicles traveling from Mexico to Canada this summer on an educational and media tour. Weaver was visiting mid-Missouri to speak at a regional sustainability conference in Columbia.

Biodiesel is a diesel alternative made from renewable fats and vegetable oils such as soybean oil. It works in any diesel engine with few or no modifications necessary. About 400 major fleets use biodiesel commercially nationwide, including all branches of the U.S. military, the National ParkService, public utility companies, school districts and municipalities.

Biodiesel performs similarly to petroleum diesel but significantly reduces emissions like carbon monoxide, particulate matter and unburned hydrocarbons. Biodiesel is free of sulfates and is the only alternative fuel to have completed the rigorous health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Results show its use significantly reduces the threat of cancer and other ailments compared to petroleum diesel. Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to reduce the nation's dependence on imported petroleum and improve air quality.

Parts of EPAct encourage use of alternative fuels, requiring large, centrally fueled fleets in metropolitan areas to purchase a percentage of light-duty alternative fuel vehicles each year. Since the start of the program, covered fleets across the United States have together acquired more than 60,000 AFVs. As a way to help achieve national EPAct goals, covered fleets earn "bankable" credits when they exceed their light-duty AFV acquisition requirements, and fleets that need credits can acquire banked credits from other fleets.

For more information, contact Kerry Cordray with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3443 or call Kathleen White of the Missouri Department of Transportation at 573-526-6687.

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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS GRANTING VARIANCE FOR PM RESOURCES, INCORPORATED

The department received a petition from PM Resources Inc. requesting a one-year variance relieving them from demonstrating that they have financial assurance in place to cover bodily injury and property damage to third parties caused by sudden accidental occurrences arising from operations of the facility.

PMR is an active hazardous waste generator, located at 13001 St. Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton. PMR produces animal health products, including pharmaceuticals, medicated feeds, rodenticides, sanitizers, cleaners, and various pesticide products. These products are used primarily on animals and around animal quarters. At this time, PMR is closing its permitted hazardous waste units and other units identified in a 1999 Consent Judgment.

Until the department accepts final closure certification of the units, facilities are required to maintain third party liability coverage. A variance of the liability requirements is allowed if the facility can show that the financial responsibility is not consistent with the amount of risk associated with operation of treatment, storage, or disposal units at the facility. The department is recommending that the Hazardous Waste Management Commission grant the variance, with conditions.

The public is invited to review PMR's variance petition. A copy of the variance petition can be viewed and copied at the
following locations:

St. Louis County Library Bridgeton Trails Branch 3455 McKelvey Road or, by appointment at either of the following department offices:

St. Louis Regional Office 7545 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Suite 210 Phone: 314-416-2960

Hazardous Waste Program 1738 East Elm Street (lower level) Jefferson City, Missouri Phone: 573-522-334

For more information, please contact Ms. Groner with the department's Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or
573-751-3553.

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DEPARTMENT STAFF PARTICIPATE IN STATE AGRI-TERRORISM
FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE

On February 24-25, 2004, staff from the department's Southwest Regional Office, Director's Office, Outreach and Assistance Center, Solid Waste Management Program, Geologic Survey and Resource Assessment Division and the Environmental Services Program (photo shown on right) actively participated in a State Agriculture Functional Exercise at the State Emergency Operations Center in Jefferson City.

Protecting Missouri's vital agriculture industry is a top priority of state and federal agencies, and emergency preparedness is critical to providing this protection. This state-level exercise involved a simulated intentional introduction of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) at a livestock yard in Joplin which quickly spread to many locations in Missouri and out-of-state. The exercise also involved an Avian Influenza (AI) outbreak at a major turkey operation in Barry County. Coinciding with the FMD and AI outbreak was an influenza outbreak among school children in southwest Missouri which heightened the concerns of officials.

Over 140 emergency response officials and members of agricultural producer associations joined in the agri-terrorism exercise. Three veterinarian teams were deployed to Barry, Boone and Jasper County. The department's Southwest Regional Office had several staff utilizing their skills and expertise during the exercise in Springfield.

All participating department staff played key roles in identifying suitable areas to safely dispose of thousands of turkeys and cattle carcasses, minimizing the impact to the public's safety and environment.

Local agencies and private sector groups participating in the exercise included the Emergency Management Agencies from Barry, Boone and Jasper Counties, Willow Brook Foods, Joplin Regional Stockyards, the American Red Cross, the Humane Society, MO NOVA Community Crisis Teams, University of Missouri's Outreach and Extension Office and Research Farm, Environmental Health and Safety and the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute. Also participating were the Missouri Poultry Producers, the Missouri Cattlemen's Association and the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association.

Federal agencies participating in the exercise were the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary Services, and Wildlife Services, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Office of Domestic Preparedness and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

State agencies would play a major role in an agri-terrorism event. Apart from our department, other state-level participation included the departments of Agriculture, Corrections, Conservation, Health and Senior Services, Transportation, Public Safety, Mental Health and Social Services, State Emergency Management Agency, Office of Homeland Security, Attorney General's Office, Office of Administration, State Highway Patrol, National Guard, State Fire Marshal's Office and State Water Patrol.

This was the first time an agricultural related exercise involving a terrorist element was undertaken. The training exercise was
developed by the State Emergency Management Agency through the United States Department of Homeland Security/Office for Domestic Preparedness.

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ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE

The department's Environmental Emergency Response provides daily support and protection for the citizens of Missouri. On-scene coordinators are located throughout the state and available 24-hours a day, seven days a week to respond to hazardous substance spills. Some of the protection and services the department provides are:

Environmental Emergency Response staff use specially designed vehicles that contain protective gear, air monitoring instruments, sampling equipment and spill cleanup equipment. The department's Environmental Emergency Response Team is funded from a hazardous waste generator fee. The fee will expire in December 2004 unless it is renewed. To report a hazardous substance spill call 573-634-2436.

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A Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Emergency Response Team in southeast Missouri, along with local police and firefighters, cut a fire break to keep these tires from catching fire at the Acup Salvage and Recycling Company in Malden. An estimated 16,000 tires are stored at the site.

Bales of paper that was to be recycled burned inside this building at the Acup Salvage and Recycling Company in Malden.

DEPARTMENT MOBILIZES ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY
UNIT TO FIRE IN MALDEN

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources immediately mobilized the Environmental Emergency Response team members on Sunday after another department employee noticed a large fire in Malden.

The department's emergency response team, along with the Malden police and fire department, quickly discovered the owner of a local salvage and recycling company was burning debris when the fire escaped the confines of the burn pit. The fire included refuse, paper, wire, appliances and waste tires.

Burning waste tires are of particular concern to the department and firefighters. These fires can release hazardous materials into the air and oils that may contaminate surface and groundwater sources. The state's waste tire fee
expired in 2003, and remaining clean up funds are rapidly being used on sites already scheduled for clean up. Approximately 2.8 million tires remain in known tire dumps.

Contractors worked to separate ignition sources while fire fighters extinguished the blazes. Gusting winds complicated their efforts. Firefighters contained the fire around 1 a.m., however, it took several days to put the fire out completely.

The department provides daily support and protection for the citizens of
Missouri during environmental emergencies. The department's environmental emergency response system has on-scene coordinators located throughout the state and available 24-hours a day, seven days a week to respond to hazardous substance spills.

The system is funded by a hazardous waste generator fee, which will expire on Jan. 1, 2005, unless it is extended in the current legislative session.

For more information contact Renee Bungart at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4465. To view photos of the incident, visit the department's Web page at /env/malden.

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MOBILIZES
EMERGENCY RESPONSE STAFF TO CARMAN CHEMICALS INC.
IN MONROE COUNTY

Deteriorated chemical containers and bags allow the contents to escape to the environment at Carman Chemicals, Inc. located in Paris, Monroe County.

Investigation continues to address health and environmental threats and concerns

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources immediately dispatched its Environmental Emergency Response State On-Scene Coordinators after containers in poor condition of various agricultural chemicals were discovered at Carman Chemicals Inc., located in Paris, Monroe County.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were conducting a planned pesticide dealer inspection of the facility and discovered the large supply of old and deteriorating containers of agricultural chemicals were discovered.

During the initial investigation by the Department of Natural Resources, many containers and bags of chemicals were found to have lost their contents to the environment. Hundreds of gallons of chemical containers were deteriorated and missing caps, allowing the contents to easily escape to the environment. Several areas on the property and adjoining properties were void of vegetation indicating chemicals may have adversely impacted the environment. A nearby wet weather creek that receives stormwater runoff from Carman Chemicals Inc.'s facility and drains to the Middle Fork of the Salt River are of immediate concern.

The department is working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and EPA to address the situation, including sample collection and investigating health and environmental threats and concerns. Local officials, including the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, have been a valuable asset to all the emergency response agencies.

The department and EPA are working with the owner of Carman Chemicals Inc. to undertake immediate actions to address the health and environmental threats and concerns at the facility.

For more information contact Renee Bungart at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4465 or visit the department's Web page at www.dnr.mo.gov.

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GRANTS AND LOANS

EPA AWARDS $125,000 GRANT TO ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has awarded grant funds of $125,000 to St. Louis Community College for their Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Grant.

St. Louis Community College's assessment grant partners are East St. Louis, IL, and St. Louis. The community college plans
to train an estimated 30 participants in the job training program, achieve a 75 percent placement rate, and support career
placement of graduates for one year after training is completed. Participants will be recruited from low-income, welfare-to-work and unemployed residents.

The grantee training program will consist of 190 hours of classes over a six-week period, including courses on environmental technologies, health and safety, lead and asbestos abatement, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). It also includes
30 hours in general construction and ecosystem restoration, including training in the use of innovative assessment and cleanup technologies. OSHA-approved instructors will conduct the training for general construction.

Properly trained environmental technicians are in high demand by St. Louis employers. EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up and reuse Brownfields.

The community college's training efforts will be supported by the organizations such as Work Link, St. Louis University Center for Education and Training, Employment Connection of St. Louis, East St. Louis Father's Center, Youthbuild St Louis, St. Patrick Partnership Center, St. Louis Development Corp., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

EPA AWARDS MORE THAN $84,000 FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANTS

EPA Region 7 has awarded five grants to develop or continue Environmental Justice (EJ) projects in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska through the EJ Small Grants Program.

Regional Administrator Jim Gulliford said the $84,606 in grants are designed to support projects that will address Environmental Justice issues. The grants range from $14,649 to $20,000.

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment of all races, cultures and incomes with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and policies.

"This is the ninth year these grants have been available, and we are very proud to have projects that allow low income or minority communities to address their environmental and health priorities," Gulliford said.

The regional office received and reviewed 28 grant proposals. Those chosen from Missouri were:

Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS), St. Louis, $15,000 to create neighborhood pollution prevention projects through a public awareness campaign on recycling and air and water quality.

Madison County Health Department, Fredericktown, $20,000 to decrease the cost of housing near old lead mining sites and to continue the Madison County Environmental Roundtable that shares information with the local community.

EPA AWARDS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY

EPA Region 7 has awarded financial assistance in celebration of Earth Day 2004 in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Through these funded projects, Earth Day will be celebrated April 22 and throughout the year.

EPA received and reviewed 116 proposals from environmental groups, non-profit organizations, schools, and state agencies. The Earth Day awards ranged from $1,000 to $5,000.

The selected projects will focus on long-term education and will engage children, parents and the public to better understand positive environmental behavior.

For additional information about EPA's Earth Day activities, please contact Denise Morrison, EPA Region 7, at morrison.denise@epa.gov. Morrison can also be contacted toll-free at 800-223-0425.

The recipients from Missouri include:

Heartland Species, Kansas City - $4,000: An Earth Day festival will feature the opening of an educational garden and market.
This garden and market will be open to the public during the spring, summer and fall. Approximately 4,000 members of the community will be served.

Missouri Department of Agriculture, Jefferson City - $2,850: This project will help create a Sustainable Agricultural model to be used for outreach to the Missouri public. The farm model will be used to help students explore sustainable farming practices that improve the health of the environment and their food system. Local farmers will help teach the curriculum. Students will use the farm model which will help them understand the relationship between farming and protecting the soil, water, rural land, and communities. Approximately 1,000 students at the Jefferson City Earth Day celebration will be reached. This model will be used at various educational opportunities for years to come.

HOLDEN ANNOUNCES $10 MILLION LOAN FOR KANSAS CITY WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS

Gov. Bob Holden announced the issuance of a $10 million low-interest loan to Kansas City for wastewater system improvements. The funding, administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA), will help pump dollars and jobs to the Kansas City area by paying for mechanical and electrical upgrades to the Blue River Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The low-interest loan will replace older clay sewer pipe, relocate some existing sewers and extend the East Fork Shoal Creek Interceptor Sewer by more than 5,000 feet. A combined sewer overflow inventory will be performed to determine the accuracy and classification of sewer line segments in the system. The inventory will also provide correct schematics of how the diversion system functions. This will help determine any modifications that may be needed in the future.

"These loans will help us protect the environment and will provide jobs to Missouri citizens," Holden said.

Missouri has one of the top State Revolving Fund programs in the country. Since 1989, more than 300 Missouri communities have saved more than $350 million in interest, and more than 8,000 jobs were created, thanks to the fund.

The State Revolving Fund is a joint effort between the department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide cost-effective financing for wastewater treatment and collection. The interest on the $10 million loan to Kansas City will be 0.4 percent, which is substantially lower than current market conditions. EPA provides 80 percent of the subsidy with a 20 percent state match provided through the sale of Water Pollution Control Bonds and EIERA Bonds.

"These loans will help us protect both our environment and our people," Holden said. "Meanwhile, these projects will have both an immediate economic impact from the initial construction and a continuing positive impact from future responsible economic growth made possible by the infrastructure improvement."

According to a nationally recognized economic modeling tool (REMI 5.2), the return on investment for each $1 million committed for new water and wastewater facilities in Missouri is $19.02 million. In the long run, this loan will save Kansas City more than a million dollars, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

The loan will be administered through the Department of Natural Resources. For more information, contact Mark Buersmeyer at
800-361-4827 or 573-751-2408.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Visit Calendar of Events at /calendar/search.do for a complete list of Department of Natural Resources' events through the end of the calendar year.

EMS TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR BUSINESS

The department will be one of several sponsors of training and facilitated environmental management system (EMS) implementation aimed at businesses. The sponsoring organizations are announcing quarterly training sessions to facilitate development of EMS by the employees of the businesses. The classes will provide step-by-step EMS implementation training. Following each class, employees of the business develop components of their EMS through "homework" assignments resulting in a complete EMS manual being prepared by the conclusion of the process.

Staff of the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa Waste Reduction Center, a university-based environmental training and assistance center, will present the class sessions. The classes were developed by the Iowa Waste Reduction Center with support to the US Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to these two organizations and the department, Bridging the Gap, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas State University, Small Business Environmental Assistance Program are also supporting this effort.

The classes will be June 15-16, Sept. 15-16, Dec. 8-9, 2004 and March 15-16, 2005. All of the sessions will be held at the Discovery Center in Kansas City. Final arrangements for the sessions are still being made. Additional information is available through Daniela Heppard at the department's Environmental Assistance Office at 800-361-4827. Registration will begin in late April.

INFRASTRUCTURE ASSET MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED

Asset management can save water and sewer systems 15 to 40 percent of their capital improvement and operating costs compared to conventional planning and construction. That means user charge rates could be reduced by 15 to 40 percent for the same level of service users are now getting.

Unfortunately, water and sewer systems in the U.S. are already being underfunded. They are also being repaired and renewed too slowly to keep up with deterioration and growth. Between now and the year 2020, this cumulative shortfall will amount to about
$750 billion.

Asset management is the best means of getting the most from our current and future water and sewer systems for the lowest life-cycle cost. "Asset management has the potential of saving millions of dollars annually in Missouri," said Steve Mahfood, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "At the same time, those systems will perform better and be more reliable than if they were managed in the conventional way."

Almost no systems in Missouri currently have such advanced asset management programs.

This spring the Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Assistance Office will begin presenting asset management workshops around the state to prepare systems and their assistance providers for this challenge. The workshops are scheduled as follows:

• April 26 Branson
• May 12 Jefferson City - Conference Center
• June 1 Kansas City - Discovery Center
• July 7 Kirkwood - Powder Valley
• Conservation Nature Center August 18 Macon
• September 29 Poplar Bluff

Details and online registration for these workshops are available by calling 800-361-4827. All water and sewer systems and their assistance providers are encouraged to attend.

SOLID WASTE ADVISORY BOARD TO MEET MAY 5

The Missouri Solid Waste Advisory Board will hold a public meeting at 1 p.m., May 5 at the Department of Natural Resources' Conference Center, 1738 E. Elm St., Jefferson City. A subsequent meeting will be held on June 2. For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Solid Waste Management Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401.

WATER QUALITY COORDINATING COMMITTEE MAY 18

The Water Quality Coordinating Committee will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., May 18, at the Governor Office Building,
200 Madison St., Jefferson City. For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program at
800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.

LAND RECLAMATION COMMISSION TO MEET MAY 27

The Missouri Land Reclamation Commission will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., May 27 at the Department of Natural Resources' Conference Center, 1738 E. Elm St., Jefferson City. For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Land Reclamation Commission at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4041.

CLEAN WATER COMMISSION TO MEET JUNE 2

The Missouri Clean Water Commission will hold a public meeting at 9 a.m., June 2, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.

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RULES UPDATE

The Regulatory Agenda contains all environmental rule actions in progress and rule actions effective within the last three months within the Department of Natural Resources.

For more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Air and Land Protection Division at
800-361-4827 or 573-751-6892. For the latest updates visit the Regulatory Agenda Web page.

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