Protecting Missouri's Natural Resources is a monthly newsletter that informs readers about environmental issues.
OCTOBER 2007
GATEWAY VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAM COMPLETES FIRST DAY OF EMISSIONS TESTING
AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS IN
THE ST. LOUIS AREA
The Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program began
Oct. 1 in the St. Louis area. By noon on Oct. 2, the program had received 1,669 vehicle test records from 202 licensed auto shops. By mid-October, the program received more than 7,500 vehicle test records from licensed auto shops. On opening day, 269 auto shops were licensed to perform on-board diagnostics emissions testing as well as safety inspections for St. Louis area motorists.
The state’s contractor, SysTech International LLC, received reports of a few technical issues during the start up of the program. SysTech is working quickly to resolve these issues to allow auto shops to continue performing emissions test and safety inspections. One of the technical issues pertains to an innovative security feature added to the program designed to ensure the identity of the inspectors/mechanics.
Inspectors/mechanics performing the tests must use a fingerprint scanner before they can begin to enter vehicle inspection data. The equipment at a few of the stations was unable to recognize the inspector’s/mechanic’s fingerprints. SysTech is providing those stations that have experienced this problem with temporary passwords until their fingerprints can be reentered into the analyzer. Auto shops that encounter this problem or other technical problems are encouraged to contact SysTech.
“We regret any inconvenience auto shops or their customers have experienced during this initial start up phase,” said Leanne Tippett Mosby, deputy director of the Division of Environmental Quality. “The new program offers more choice and convenience for St. Louis area motorists in obtaining emissions inspections. Auto shops participating in the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program are a key to the program success and motorist convenience. We appreciate their patience and assistance as we continue to make improvements that will implement the program to its fullest potential.”
The state is giving September and October registrants some flexibility to fulfill their emissions testing requirements. These registrants are encouraged to test during October if possible. However, odd model year vehicles with September plates have until Dec. 1 to comply. Odd model year vehicles with October plates that are unable to complete their emissions testing requirements by Oct. 31 will have until Jan. 1 to comply.
A total of 550 auto shops signed up in the first round to begin emissions testing when the program launched Oct. 1. As of mid-October, 431 were on-line and ready to perform emissions tests. The number of participating locations will continue to increase as final licensing and approval is completed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The state expects to license an additional 167 auto shops by early November.
As the state continues to license additional locations, each station’s name, location and phone number will be added to the Web site. Motorists can look for an auto shop near them with the GVIP blue reflective sign displayed with the yellow Missouri Official Vehicle Inspection Station sign, or they may visit the Web at www.GatewayVIP.com, or may call 1-866-OBD-TEST (623-8378). The department recommends motorists call an inspection station prior to visiting the station to make sure that station offers testing and to find out if they can fit you in or to schedule an appointment.
Local auto shops will test 1996 and newer gasoline-powered vehicles and 1997 and newer diesel-powered vehicles registered in the St. Louis ozone nonattainment area using on-board diagnostics equipment. This advanced computer inspection system will determine whether 1996 and newer vehicles pass or fail the emissions test. The nonattainment area includes the city of St. Louis and Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties.
Model year vehicles 1995 and older are exempt from the emissions testing requirements, as they do not contain the on-board diagnostics equipment necessary for testing. However, safety inspections are still required biennially. The impact on ground-level ozone from these older vehicles will continue to decrease, as these vehicles become a smaller percentage of the fleet and are phased-out.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri State Highway Patrol jointly administers the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program. The program is a key component of the ongoing effort to improve air quality in the St. Louis region.
CHANGE A LIGHT,
CHANGE THE WORLD
Missouri Citizens Can Save Money, Energy and the
Environment With The Twist of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
The Department of Natural Resources’ Energy Center, eight Missouri utilities and 58 retailers have joined the 2007 “Change A Light, Change The World” campaign to help Missouri customers save money and energy with a twist of an ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb. It’s a quick and easy solution to lowering utility bills in addition to saving energy and protecting the environment.
Coordinated by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the Missouri program is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy’s national “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World” campaign.
From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2007, sponsors are encouraging Missouri residents to “Change the World” one light, one step at a time by replacing their home’s five most frequently used light fixtures, or the bulbs in them, with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. In the average home, the most frequently used fixtures are kitchen ceiling dome light, living room table lamp, living room floor lamp, bathroom vanity light and outdoor porch or post lamp. By making this change, a household can save at least $60 a year in energy costs in addition to protecting the environment.
The Energy Center and other sponsors are helping Missouri residents make the simple switch to energy-efficient lighting by offering $2 instant rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb purchases while supplies last. With the instant rebates, the compact fluorescent light bulb s will sell for as little as 99 cents at select retail locations.
Missouri utilities helping sponsor the compact fluorescent light bulb sales in their areas are AmerenUE, Aquila Inc., City Utilities of Springfield, Columbia Water & Light, Crawford Electric Cooperative, Empire District Electric Company, Independence Power & Light and Kansas City Power & Light. More information and a list of Missouri retail locations offering the in-store rebate is available on the Energy Center’s Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/changealight.htm. More information on the program is also available by visiting the Web site of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance at www.mwalliance.org/cal2007.
BROWNFIELDS/VOLUNTARY CLEANUP PROGRAM OVERSEES
SUCCESSFUL CLEANUPS
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has issued certificates of completion for several Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program sites.
Brownfields are abandoned or underused industrial or commercial sites, located primarily in urban areas, that are either contaminated or thought to be contaminated. Through the Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program, private parties agree to clean up a contaminated site and are offered some protection from future state and federal enforcement action at the site in the form of a “No Further Action” letter or “Certificates of Completion” from the state.
Decade-Long Riverfront Cleanup Completed by Kansas City Port Authority
On Sept. 19 2007, the Port Authority of Kansas City held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate completion of a decade-long, $17 million cleanup and the beginning of a new life for an important riverfront property. Department Director Doyle Childers presented a Certificate of Completion for the final 55-acre portion of the Riverfront Park Development Site in Kansas City, Missouri. Mayor Pro Tem Skaggs, other elected officials and the Port Authority Board attended the ceremony.
The 80-acre site is located along the south bank of the Missouri River just west of the Paseo Bridge, across Riverview Drive from Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park. Its size and location on the north riverfront near the River Market area make it a prime candidate for major redevelopment. Development plans had been discussed for years, but always ran into environmental uncertainties.
Portions of the site were used by the Kansas City Gas Light and Coke Company and related industries from the late 1800s to the early 1900s to produce coal gas, the predecessor to natural gas. The entire site was originally reclaimed from the Missouri River and was covered with extensive fill including soil, manufactured gas plant wastes, concrete and rubble demolition waste and trash from illegal dumping. Large volumes of soil as well as groundwater were contaminated with coal tar and heavy metals. The gas plant closed around 1905, and filling and dumping on the site occurred for decades afterwards.
The Port Authority enrolled the site in the Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program in 1997. Missouri Gas Energy, successor to the original operator of the gas plant, contributed to the cleanup through a settlement agreement with the Port Authority of Kansas City. Missouri Gas Energy continues to clean up its own property to the south of the Riverfront property. Honeywell Corporation also contributed, as successor to Barrett Manufacturing, whose plant used by-product coal tar to make roofing products.
Approximately 57,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was removed and disposed in landfills. Hundreds of thousands of cubic yards were sorted and sampled for contaminants. Unacceptable fill such as concrete, rebar, wood and trees were removed. The concrete was crushed and reused. A large volume of low-level contaminated soil was capped on-site in a subsurface layer beneath any expected construction depth, and will be managed through a soil management plan. The first portion of the site received its Certificate of Completion in 2003.
While the Port Authority of Kansas City has not yet named a developer for the site, reuse is brought closer by the completion of environmental work.
Lucas Lofts Building in St. Louis
On Sept. 7, 2007, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program issued a Certificate of Completion for the Lucas Lofts Building, located at 1113-1129 Washington Avenue in St. Louis for cleanup of asbestos containing materials, fluorescent light bulbs and ballasts and lead-based paint.
The building existed on the site somewhere around the late 1800’s to early 1900’s and was formerly known as The Cheerful House. Clothing manufacturing, warehouse space, greeting card printing and art studios inhabited the building over the years. It has been vacant since approximately 1999. Phase I and II Site Assessments revealed the presence of asbestos containing materials, lead-based paint and bulbs and ballasts containing polychlorinated biphenyls.
In accordance with a remedial action plan approved by the Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program, the asbestos containing materials, lead-based paint, bulbs and ballasts were completely removed and disposed.
The building is to be developed for mixed residential and commercial use with retail businesses on the first floor and loft apartments on the upper floors.
Heartland/Light and Power Storage Building
The Department of Natural Resources’ Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program issued a Certificate of Completion for the Heartland/Light and Power Storage Building site in St. Joseph, Missouri. In December 2001, Heartland Regional Community Foundation entered the Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program for the cleanup of asbestos-containing materials, lead-based paint and contaminated soil and groundwater at the site.
The three-acre site, which was developed prior to 1883, has a 40,000-square-foot brick warehouse structure. Multiple parties owned the structure, which housed several variations of St. Joseph Light & Power Company, from 1916 to 1980. Various uses included a vehicle maintenance facility. Brown Transfer and Storage Company operated the site for the past 20 years as a storage facility for items such as furniture, computers, automobiles and cardboard.
Site investigations documented both soil and groundwater impacts from petroleum hydrocarbons, benzene, ethylbenzene and xylene, associated with the underground storage tank and hydraulic lifts and asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint in the building. The asbestos-containing materials, lead-based paint were removed from the building in accordance with a department-approved risk management plan. The hydraulic lift, underground storage tank and surrounding contaminated soils were excavated and disposed off-site. Granular Oxygen Release Compound Advanced was mixed with clean backfill material and placed into the excavations to enhance degradation of any remaining impacted soil. Once filled and compacted, both areas were covered with six inches of concrete as part of the final construction process. The interior renovation included an approximate two-inch concrete overlay of the existing concrete slab, with a final coat of epoxy sealant. The department has determined that the site is now safe for unrestricted use.
Heartland Foundation was awarded an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant to perform cleanup activities at the site, which is located within a 244-acre EPA Region 7 Brownfields Pilot designated area in downtown St. Joseph. This site is the first environmental remediation effort in the area. Additionally, the project is located in the St. Joseph State Enterprise Zone, which offers tax credits and real property tax abatement for industries that locate within the zone. As an anchor for revitalization activities, this project will serve as a demonstration project to spur economic development and encourage other prospective developers to locate in this area.
The Heartland Foundation redeveloped the site to house its new emPower Plant facility, community meeting space and Heartland Foundation offices. The emPower Plant is a youth leadership development program for middle school students designed to transform education and firmly anchor community engagement. The program’s goal is to prepare students to meet challenges by teaching them to make good decisions and take personal responsibility for their lives and communities. The emPower Plant model is designed to be replicated in schools and communities across the nation. The first pilot in St. Joseph covers a geographic region connecting Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas, with the capacity to reach up to 15,000 young people per year.
This brings the total number of sites cleaned up under the Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program to 328.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Section at 800-361-4827
or 573-526-8913.
DEPARTMENT PROVIDES MORE THAN $900,000 TO KANSAS CITY FOR
STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS
The Department of Natural Resources is providing $910,873 to the city of Kansas City to fund a portion of the costs of two storm water drainage projects.
The Kansas City Bicycle Transportation Initiative Project includes replacing storm water inlets, installing new storm piping and other improvements along the city’s designated bike path. The money will fund the storm water-related portion of this project. The city intends to begin construction in 2007 and will identify green infrastructure best management practices along the trail. These practices may include storm water detention near the inlets to create a designed rain garden with the retained storm water.
The Morgan Tract Stream Stabilization and Line Creek Project will provide bank stabilization improvement at NW 58th St. and
along the East Fork of Line Creek.
The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program will administer the funding, which comes from the sale of State Storm Water Control bonds approved by Missouri voters in 1998 and from repayments of loans made from these bond funds. For more information, contact the department’s Water Protection Program at P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or call
800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
The Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Education Scholarship Program is designed to provide scholarships to minority and other underrepresented students pursuing a
bachelor’s or master’s degree in an environmental course of study.
Missouri statute provides this scholarship in order to create opportunities for these students to explore areas of environmental science courses of study; provide funds for students contingent upon academic status and performance; and create a pool of applicants that reflect the diversity of Missouri.
Requirements include:
- being a current Missouri resident,
- being a graduate of an accredited high school,
- having a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or if enrolled in college, having a cumulative GPA of 2.5
on a 4.0 scale, and - being enrolled as a full-time student, at least 12 hours per semester, in a Missouri post-secondary institution.
An applicant must submit the Environmental Education Scholarship Program application containing the information above and include with it the following:
1. Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a counselor, principal or college advisor;
2. A one page essay explaining why this scholarship is desired;
3. A listing and summary of school and community activities; and
4. Transcripts.
Qualified candidates must be pursuing a degree in one of the following areas of study:
- Civil, chemical, mechanical, agricultural engineering or environmental engineering.
- Environmental areas such as geology, biology, wildlife management, planning, some aspect of natural resource management or a closely related field.
- Environmental chemistry.
- Environmental law enforcement.
Scholarships will be awarded each semester subject to appropriated funds to students selected by the Minority Environmental Literacy Advisory Commission. Once awarded, a recipient must maintain a 2.5 GPA each semester and remain a full-time student for the duration of the scholarship. Visit www.dnr.mo.gov/forms/780-1806.pdf to download the scholarship form.
All applications, including other required documents, must be postmarked by June 1 of each year in order to be considered by the committee.
For more information, contact the department’s Human Resources Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-2518.
DEPARTMENT ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON PROPOSED MISSOURI
STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REVISIONS
The Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting public comment on several proposed state plan revisions concerning air pollution. The Missouri Air Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. on Oct. 25 in the Lions Room at the Hilton Garden Inn at 2644 E. 32nd St. in Joplin.
The commission will hear testimony related to a proposed revision to the Missouri State Implementation Plan for the Inspection and Maintenance Program for the St. Louis 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated St. Louis as a nonattainment area for ozone. This designation requires the department to develop a plan to bring the area into compliance of the eight-hour ozone standard by June 2010 by using a variety of methods including vehicle emissions testing. The new decentralized vehicle emissions testing program, the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, replaced the centralized vehicle emissions inspection program that ended on Sept. 1.
The commission will also hear testimony on the proposed 24-Hour Particulate Matter 2.5 Area Designation Recommendation. This proposed plan revision recommends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designate all geographic areas in the state as attainment for PM2.5. This determination was made based on EPA’s revised 24-hour PM2.5 standard. This PM2.5 standard boundary recommendation is being made based on information collected over the past two years and EPA guidance for developing the PM2.5 designation recommendations.
The commission will also hear testimony on the new Missouri Smoke Management Plan. The Missouri Smoke Management Plan will identify the responsibilities of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, federal land managers and state land managers as they coordinate procedures that lessen the public health, safety and visibility impacts of prescribed and wildland fires used for resource benefits. This plan is designed to EPA’s Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires
(April 1998).
The Department of Natural Resources requests people intending to give verbal presentations on the proposed public hearing items also to provide a written copy of their testimony to the commission secretary at the time of the public hearing. The department also will accept written comments until 5 p.m. on Nov. 1.
Written comments can be sent to Chief, Operations Section, Department of Natural Resources, Air Pollution Control Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176 or by faxing to 573-751-2706, or send comments by e-mail to apcpsppn@dnr.mo.gov. The department is required to respond to all comments in writing as part of the rulemaking process. Written comments and oral public hearing testimony are treated with equal consideration.
The proposed public hearing documents are available for review at the department’s Air Pollution Control Program, 1659A E. Elm St., Jefferson City, MO. For information on the public hearing citizens can call 573-741-4817 or visit the department’s Public Notice Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/index.html.
TESTING FINDS THREE LAKE OF THE OZARKS WATER SAMPLES
ABOVE E. COLI LIMITS
Recent testing of water in the Lake of the Ozarks found three cases out of 62 sites tested where E. coli bacteria existed in excess of the standard for swimming and other whole body contact recreation, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The test samples, the fifth in a series of six monthly samplings that began in May and will run through October, were taken Sept. 4. Through the first five months of testing, 97.3 percent of the water samples taken found E. coli bacteria within acceptable limits.
Volunteers from the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance took water samples from the same 62 sites as were tested in May and July. Two sites, both located in the Jennings Branch Cove, had E. coli levels higher than the standard. Both of these sites also failed to meet the standard during the May testing, but were well under the limit in July. The third site was in the Davey Hollow Cove. It was the first time in the three samplings that it exceeded the standard.
The Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Department of Conservation, AmerenUE and the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance, is testing 28 coves from Bagnell Dam to the Community Bridge. Alliance volunteers trained to do such sampling have nearly doubled the number of sites that can be sampled.
Fourteen coves are sampled each month. Ameren is paying $15,000 per year for the five-year study. When completed, the water testing will include coves from Bagnell Dam to Truman Dam.
The final set of samples for this testing season will be taken on Oct. 9. The sampling protocol is arranged so that odd-numbered coves are sampled in odd-numbered months, even-numbered coves in even-numbered months. The testing will resume next May, focusing on a new series of coves.
E. coli is a bacteria found in the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals. Frequently associated with faulty septic tanks or sewer systems, E. coli can cause gastrointestinal illness.
Water sample test result data are online at www.lmvp.org/LOWA/ecoli.htm. A link to the data is available through LOWA’s Web site, www.soslowa.org.
DEPARTMENT ISSUES THOUSANDS OF NO FURTHER ACTION LETTERS FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK CLOSURES AND CLEANUPS
More than 10,000 no further action letters have been issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for tank closures and cleanups to improve Missouri communities. The Hazardous Waste Program’s Underground Storage Tank section issued 10,870 no further action letters and has overseen the permanent closure of 28,832 tanks and the completion of 5,247 remediation projects.
Several of these sites were cleaned up and redeveloped and reused for productive purposes. This is a huge accomplishment and shows the large number of sites and work handled by the Tanks section.
There are 10,080 active and temporary closed tanks in Missouri at 3,772 facilities. All active facilities get inspected on a three-year cycle. Around 150 facilities close each year resulting in the closure of approximately 450 tanks. Each year there are approximately 1,400 cleanup projects and the department closes around 130 sites.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources Underground Storage Tank regulations went into effect Sept. 28, 1990. These regulations adopted most of the federal regulatory language and created the state’s Underground Storage Tank program. The Underground Storage Tank program provides oversight of tank registrations, fees, financial responsibility, closure and leaking underground storage tank cleanup.
Work includes closure activities and corrective actions to see that contaminated tank sites are quickly investigated to minimize risks to human health and the environment. The Tanks Closure Unit and Remediation Unit receives and reviews notices of closure from Underground Storage Tank owners and closure reports, helps develop outreach materials about Underground Storage Tank requirements and identifies and confirms suspected releases from petroleum Underground Storage Tanks, as well as investigation and cleanup of those releases.
For more information about underground storage tanks, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/tanks/tanks.htm or contact the Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3176.
DISCOVER OUR NIANGUA RIVERS DAY HELD OCT. 13
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Bob Schulz, Stream Team biologist, explains the life cycle of |
The students of Osage Beach High School, and other interested citizens Stream Team members and the public met at 9 a.m., Oct. 13 under Picnic Shelter B at Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon to kick off the last water quality monitoring event for 2007. Discover our Niangua Rivers Day allowed Stream Team members to monitor the Niangua and Little Niangua rivers in conjunction with World Water Monitoring Day™.
Workers spent the morning collecting water quality data followed by a picnic at Bennett Spring State Park, hosted by the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance. Stream Team staff members checked equipment, accepted waste chemicals and helped match inexperienced volunteers with trained members.
Stream Team approved chemical kits or World Water Monitoring Day™ equipment could be used to collect the data. There are 33 historic monitoring sites along the rivers, starting near Climax Springs in Camden County to Marshfield in Webster County.
Missouri has 110,000 miles of streams that provide recreation, water and serenity, but they need your help. If you are already a member of a Stream Team or not, you can find information online about organizing your team, participating in a variety of activities and communicating with other Stream Teams all across the Show-Me State and beyond. Stream Teams involve people with an interest and a passion for Missouri streams. Exploring the Stream Team Web site will show how citizens have adopted a stream, volunteered their own time and effort to improve it and banded together with other Stream Teams to help improve Missouri’s streams.
For information about starting a Stream Team in Missouri, visit www.mostreamteam.org.
The primary goal of World Water Monitoring Day™ is to educate and engage citizens in the protection of water resources around the world. Many communities around the world are unaware of the condition of their water quality and the impact of their behaviors on the quality of their water resources. Conducting simple monitoring tests teaches participants about some of the most common indicators of water health and encourages further participation in more formal citizen monitoring efforts. According to EPA’s National Water Quality Inventory, only 25 percent of total rivers and stream miles (3,662,255 miles) in the U.S. have been assessed and out of that number less than 65 percent are reported in good condition.
The World Water Monitoring Day™ Web site is open to all citizens of the world. In 2006, there were 3,900 sites monitored in 39 countries, and the program is expected to grow in years to come.
Water quality scientists use data from sophisticated monitoring programs to make decisions on the health and management of water resources. The monitoring tests performed by World Water Monitoring Day™ participants are designed to bring communities together to learn the importance of monitoring local water resources and what they can do to
protect them.
Citizens who enjoy participation in World Water Monitoring Day™ may want to find out about more sophisticated citizen
monitoring efforts such as www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/.
Roberta Savage, president and CEO of America’s Clean Water Foundation started world Water Monitoring Day™ in 2002.
October 18 was originally selected as World Water Monitoring Day™ in recognition of the anniversary of the U.S. Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act was enacted by Congress in 1972 and is a milestone in efforts to restore and protect U.S. water resources. However, in 2007, the date was changed to September 18 in hope of warmer weather since some parts of our world are frozen
solid by October 18.
Due to increasing participation and expanding reach, in 2006 ACWF transferred the program to the Water Environment
Federation to provide a larger platform for program delivery. The Water Environment Federation Board of Trustees formally
adopted the program on July 27, 2006.
It’s easy and fun to participate in World Water Monitoring Day™. Reporting data allows you to share your experiences with others in your community and keep a yearly record of your monitoring test results. In addition to monitoring your local waterway, consider organizing a trash clean up, going on a walk through your watershed, or talking to a school group or scout troop about water pollution.
The World Water Monitoring Day Web site features information and activities to participate in year round as well as World Water Monitoring Day™ on September 18. For more information, visit www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
DEPARTMENT SIGNS SUPERFUND STATE CONTRACT FOR
ORONOGO-DUENWEG MINING BELT SITE
State will spend $5.7million to clean up the Superfund site
The Department of Natural Resources has signed a Superfund state contract for the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt Site, also known as the Jasper County Superfund Site. Missouri will spend an estimated $5.7 million for the cleanup.
The Jasper County Superfund Site is located in Jasper County and portions of Newton County. The site is part of the Tri-State Mining District, which covers approximately 2,500 square miles. The Missouri portion of the district covers 270 square miles. The site is a concern because past lead and zinc mining and milling practices resulted in the contamination of surface soil, sediments, surface water and groundwater. The primary contaminants of concern are lead, cadmium and zinc. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the site on the National Priorities List in 1990. The National Priorities List ranks all national Superfund site cleanups in order of the most serious contamination problems and greatest threats to human health and the environment.
The selected remedial action or cleanup method for this site includes removing contamination and disposing of it in mining pits and in repository areas that will be capped and revegetated. The cleanup is required for approximately seven to eight million cubic yards of mine wastes and soil scattered over 7,000 acres of the site. EPA will be completing the cleanup in small areas that can be addressed in a relatively short timeframe and within their available annual budget. Given this strategy, the work will most likely take eight to 12 years to complete.
EPA will fund the cleanup with a 10 percent cost-sharing contribution by the state. The state will also have an obligation to complete operation and maintenance at the site. The total cost of this portion of the cleanup is estimated at $57 million. Therefore, the state’s cost-share contribution will be an estimated $5.7 million. The cleanup will be completed in phases over many years. The department will request an annual appropriation of general revenue funding to cover the state’s 10 percent cost-share obligation.
By agreeing to the contract, the department also agreed to perform long-term operation and maintenance at the site. This includes continued monitoring and ensuring institutional controls and cleanup measures remain in place and are protective of human health and the environment. EPA’s estimated operation and maintenance costs are $22,500 per year. This number is based on maintaining 90 acres of repository caps. It is likely that the department will be conducting operation and maintenance on more acres so this cost may be higher. The state, however, is not responsible for operation and maintenance until the cleanup action is complete on the entire site, which is likely to be in eight to 12 years.
Joplin Company Wins Mine Waste Cleanup Contract
A Joplin company has been awarded a $1.9 million contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for lead mine
waste cleanup in Jasper County, Mo. The bidding, limited to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, was won by
Snyder Construction Co.
Eight additional bids were received with prices ranging up to $4 million dollars. The Snyder Co. will clean up about 75 acres of mining waste between Carterville and Webb City. The work is expected to take about a year. The contract is the first in a series to be bid for cleanups that will cover about 7,000 acres over a 10-year period.
This is the first cleanup contract for mine wastes in Jasper County. EPA has cleaned up residential yard soil and installed public water lines to homes with contaminated private water wells. The contract calls for Snyder to dig up mine wastes and contaminated soil and place the materials in sunken mine pits.
Lead mine wastes come from a variety of lead mining, milling and smelting operations, some dating back to the 1800s. The wastes contaminate ground water, surface water and surface soil with cadmium, lead and zinc. Lead poisoning can harm adults and children, especially young children. It can harm the development of the central nervous system and IQ
and cause behavior problems.
EPA’s strategy calls for at least 3 percent of its contracts to be with service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses. The strategy supports the president’s 2004 executive order to strengthen those opportunities in federal contracting.
The contract with Snyder puts EPA Region 7 at 14 percent this fiscal year. Last fiscal year, the region exceeded 11 percent
and achieved five of its six socio-economic goals. Region 10 in Seattle was the
only other EPA region to match that accomplishment last year.
Snyder Construction was founded in 1978 and
employs about 50 people.
For more information on the Superfund state contract for the Jasper County Superfund Site, contact Don Van Dyke at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Hazardous Waste Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. You can also reach Van Dyke by telephone at 573-751-4187 or 800-361-4827 or by e-mail at don.van.dyke@dnr.mo.gov. Hearing and
speech-impaired people may reach Van Dyke through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.
DEPARTMENT RELEASES LIST OF WELL DRILLING INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS WITHOUT PERMITS
The Department of Natural Resources announced that several well drilling industry contractors no longer carry permits to perform work in Missouri.
The contractors previously held a permit with the department to operate in Missouri as a contractor for water well, pump, heat pump or monitoring well installations.
There are many possible reasons why the individuals listed may not hold a permit. Those may include retirement, change in occupation or job duties, failure to apply for a renewal or enforcement actions taken against contractors who violated the Water Well Driller’s Act. The department is encouraging those who had a well drilled by someone included in the list to contact the department for further information.
The Well Driller’s Act became effective in 1986. It establishes minimum well construction standards and requires contractors to be permitted by the state. The law was created to protect Missouri groundwater from contamination resulting from improperly constructed wells. Improperly constructed wells may act as conduits for contaminants such as septic tank effluent. Contaminated groundwater exposes Missourians of all ages to serious health risks that can result from waterborne diseases such as typhoid
fever, dysentery, cholera, hepatitis and giardiasis.
Those contractors who no longer carry permits to work in Missouri include:
Name-City/State (County)
Nicole Cruise - Lenexa, KS
Bruce Brewington - Fredericktown, MO (Madison)
Elvin Cannon - Mountain Grove, MO (Wright)
Claire Morris - St. Louis, MO (St. Louis)
Chris English - St. Louis, MO (St. Louis)
Richard Chaney - Skidmore, MO (Nodaway)
Richard Olson - Hazelwood, MO (St. Louis)
Dave Poague - Salina, KS
Matt Hetz - Miller, MO (Lawrence)
Brian Ricketts - St. Charles, MO (St. Charles)
Jeremy Raye - Lawrence, KS
Brian Schavee - Lawrence, KS
Michael Ellis Jr. - St. Peters, MO (St. Charles)
Mike Hall - St. Peters, MO (St. Charles)
Mateo Fuimaono - Overland Park, KS
Edward Shepard - Earth City, MO (St. Louis)
Brian Power - St. Charles, MO (St. Charles)
Benjamin Kaimann - Troy, MO (Lincoln)
Stephen Keener - Lawrenceburg, TN
Wilbur Mann - Mammoth Springs, AR
Vernon Thrasher - Lawrenceburg, TN
Paul Hilchen - Jefferson City, MO (Cole)
Gregory Wehmeir - Jefferson City, MO (Cole)
John Charlton - Columbia, SC
Daniel Chamberlin - Belleville, IL
John Leffew - Nashville, TN
Steve Pettit - Minneapolis, MN
Rick Whitney - St. Louis, MO (St. Louis)
Greg Sawyer - Rockford, MI
Kenneth Smith - Springfield, IL
Hayes Gozia - Springfield, MO (Greene)
Greg Ligget - Woodlawn, IL
Angie Weber - O’Fallon, IL
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Wellhead Protection Section at
800-361-4827 or 573-368-2115.
DROUGHT ALERT SPREADS TO NORTH OF KANSAS CITY
AND ST. LOUIS
Drought Alert Impacts 35 Missouri Counties
Rains in some southwest Missouri counties improved conditions enough to remove them from a drought advisory, but dry conditions persisted or worsened across much of Missouri in the past month, according to Missouri’s Drought Advisory Committee.
The group responsible for implementing Missouri’s drought response added 12 counties in northwest, southeast and east-central Missouri to those already under a drought alert, while downgrading some southwest counties, removing them from the list of counties under some phase of drought.
In all, 35 counties were determined to be in Phase 2 drought alert drought, and 44 were classified in a Phase 1 advisory phase, which is an abnormally dry condition but not considered a drought status. The remaining 35 Missouri counties are considered to be near normal and neither unusually dry or wet.
“September rains brought relief through the western I-44 corridor. But several counties north of Kansas City and north and west of St. Louis joined those in east and southeast Missouri already under a drought alert,” said Mike Wells, committee chairman and deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The drought is affecting subsoil moisture, pastures and dry land crops across large parts of the state. “We need substantial rainfall in the next few months to make up the large deficits that have accumulated in many counties this summer,” Wells said.
Current shortages of hay will likely continue this year and next. Because large portions of Missouri have been in drought conditions for six of the last eight years and the extreme drought in the southeastern U.S. states includes several major cow and calf producing states, the hay shortage is likely to continue for several years.
The 35 counties under a drought alert are Audrain, Bollinger, Butler, Caldwell, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Clay, Clinton, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Iron, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Mississippi, Montgomery, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Pike, Platte, Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, Warren, Washington and Wayne.
The 44 counties under a drought advisory include Barry, Bates, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Christian, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Henry, Howard, Howell, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Morgan, Osage, Ozark, Pettis, Phelps, Ralls, Randolph,
St. Clair, Saline, Shannon, Shelby, Stone, Taney, Texas and Vernon.
The Missouri Drought Assessment Committee’s Climate and Weather Subcommittee will monitor continually for changes in drought status until the next Drought Assessment Committee meeting, which will be called as conditions change.
The Missouri Drought Plan defines four levels of increasing concern based on the severity of the lack of moisture and the corresponding impacts. A drought alert, the second of these four levels, is declared when area rainfall is below normal for several months, plants show stress, stream levels drop, and pond levels begin to fall noticeably.
The Missouri Drought Assessment Committee is responsible for assessing drought conditions across the state and recommending actions to ease the drought’s adverse effects. Agencies represented on the committee include the state departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, Public Safety, Health and Senior Services, Conservation and Economic Development; the U.S. departments of Commerce, Agriculture and Interior; the U.S. Army; the University of Missouri-Columbia; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
For more information, including the current drought map, the Missouri Drought Plan and information on the Drought Assessment Committee, see the drought Web page at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wrc/droughtupdate.htm.
DEPARTMENT ISSUES AIR PERMIT TO ETHANEX IN CAPE GIRARDEAU
The Department of Natural Resources has issued an air pollution construction permit to Ethanex. The proposed plant will use corn to produce ethanol.
The permit enables construction of a new ethanol plant at 261 River Road, Cape Girardeau. This facility is located on the border between Scott and Cape Girardeau counties, but the majority of the property is in Scott County. Once completed, the proposed plant has a maximum production capacity of 138.6 million gallons of denatured ethanol annually.
The Department of Natural Resources conducted a thorough review of the proposed ethanol plant. One part of the review analyzed the impact of the ethanol plant’s air emissions on the area and took into consideration the other air emission sources from the nearby cement kiln and other proposed ethanol plants. Based on this review, the proposed plant will comply with applicable air quality standards and regulations when operated as permitted. The permit requires the use of a variety of control equipment such as baghouses, cyclones, wet scrubbers and thermal oxidizers.
Although regulations do not require a public notice period for this type of air permit, all air permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources are available for review at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/air_permits.htm.
For more information concerning the permitting process or to obtain a written copy of the permit for review, contact the department’s Air Pollution Control Program at P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO or call 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4817.
Any aggrieved party may appeal the department’s permit decision by filing a petition with the Administrative Hearing Commission within 30 days of the permit issuance, which was Sept. 25. Appeals must be sent to the Administration Hearing Commission, P.O. Box 1557, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or by fax to 573-751-5018.
DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH GIDEON TO RESOLVE DEFICIENCIES AT
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
The Department of Natural Resources is working with the City of Gideon after finding serious deficiencies within the drinking water system. The department issued a notice of violation to Gideon for the deficiencies, which included failure to properly maintain its system and not maintain required chlorine levels.
City officials notified the department of the problems after receiving reports of bird feathers in municipal water lines. The city immediately hired a contractor to complete a tank inspection. The contractor found both of the city’s storage tanks were unsecured, and vandals, most likely, left the smaller, older storage tank hatch open allowing a bird to enter the tank.
The Department of Natural Resources immediately dispatched staff to investigate the situation, complete an inspection of the wells and test chlorine levels. The results indicated the required chlorination equipment was not operating properly resulting in inadequate disinfection of the drinking water. The department is requiring Gideon to implement changes to ensure proper chlorine levels are maintained at all times and conduct daily monitoring. Chlorine is a common disinfectant used to kill disease-producing organisms in drinking water.
Upon discovering the problems with the water system, the department placed the city under a boil water order immediately. The department worked with the city and police department to notify residents of the boil order. Water samples did not indicate the presence of bacteriological contaminants. The department will maintain the boil order, however,
as a protective measure until Gideon corrects the deficiencies.
Gideon residents should continue to boil water used for drinking or cooking, brushing teeth, food preparation or any other purpose involving human consumption until the boil order is lifted. City water may still be used for bathing. The department will lift the boil order once the city completes the needed repairs, proper chlorine levels are maintained, and water samples indicate the water is safe.
“The department will require the city and the Gideon Public Water System to take quick action
to implement changes,” said the department’s Division of Environmental Quality’s Director
Daniel R. Schuette. “The city will have a strict schedule for making these repairs and properly monitoring the water to ensure the safety of its drinking water supply.”
The city recently drained, inspected, painted and performed maintenance on the newer, large storage tank. The city drained, cleaned and disinfected the older, smaller tank after the inspector discovered the bird. As a precaution, the city also permanently disconnected a privately owned cotton compress storage tank from the city water system. The city will continue providing water to the fire distribution system. The city has also agreed to construct a security fence around the city’s water towers to prevent vandals from entering the facility.
Gideon’s water system faced a similar problem in December 1993. At that time, the city’s water towers had problems with poorly fitting hatches and vents that allowed birds and bird feces in the water supply. Seven people died, and hundreds were sickened as a result of salmonella contamination in drinking water during that incident.
The department requires public water systems to test for more than 90 different regulated chemicals and microbiological contaminants each year. In addition to the 1993 incident, Gideon had bacteriological violations in December 2002 and January 2003. The city has had no other violations.
The Department of Natural Resources also conducts inspections on each public water system. The department completed an inspection at Gideon’s facility in May. The department documented several unsatisfactory conditions during the inspection and provided this information to the city with recommendations for corrections. One of the conditions noted the water storage tanks were not secure from entry by unauthorized personnel. The chlorination equipment, however, was functioning properly during the inspection.
For more information on Gideon’s facility, contact
the department’s Southeast Regional Office at
573-840-9750.
DEPARTMENT ISSUES DRINKING WATER PERMIT TO DESLOGE
The Department of Natural Resources has issued a permit to dispense drinking water to the city of Desloge in St. Francois County. The city of Desloge’s public water system is in compliance with Missouri Public Drinking Water Regulations. This permit gives the city the legal authority to provide drinking water to 180 customers.
The department performed a final inspection of the water system on Sept. 6 and found it was constructed in accordance to the plans and specifications filed with the department. This final inspection allowed the city to proceed with the permit to dispense application.
The Department of Natural Resources received the application from Desloge on Sept. 10 and determined it meets all legal and regulatory requirements.
Prior to the issuance of the permit to dispense, the department required the city to demonstrate it has
the managerial and financial capacity to operate the water system in compliance with the law and regulations. The city was also required to submit water samples to the Missouri State Health
Laboratory for analysis. The results of those tests indicate the water is safe to consume.
The city’s completed project includes two public
water supply wells, disinfection equipment at each
well, a 650,000-gallon standpipe, chlorine detention
and distribution system. This is phase I of a
multi-phase project.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Public Drinking Water Branch at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.
LEGAL BOUNDARY BETWEEN RAY AND LAFAYETTE COUNTIES DETERMINED
County Commissioners Sign Land Plats
After years of uncertainty and pending litigation, the legal position for the boundary between Ray and Lafayette counties at the Camden Bend on the Missouri River has been determined. County commissioners from Ray and Lafayette counties met with State Land Surveyor Mike Flowers of the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Geology and Land Survey, at the Lexington County Courthouse Monday, Sept. 17, to put the final touches on the surveying project. The elected officials signed land plats that depict the legal boundary between the two counties.
The commissioners affirmed the results of a boundary survey completed this year. The survey was completed under a contract with Lafayette County Surveyors Terry McCanless, Ray County and Mark Nolte. “The survey will serve as the basis for editing the tax maps of both counties. It will also fix the locations of any property boundaries described in legal descriptions by local landowners along the old channel of the Missouri River after the avulsive cutoff caused by the flood in 1915,” said Flowers.
Flooding of the river caused the avulsion. This abrupt change in the course of the river was the result of a period of showers, many of them quite heavy, beginning in May of that year. According to the Weather Bureau in Washington, D.C., “A period of wet weather of far-reaching effect began in the middle Missouri Valley about May 18, 1915. The rains of May 26-27-28 brought about the expected, and the Missouri River at Kansas City passed above the flood stage (22 feet) on May 28 and continued above until the end of the month.”
The department’s State Land Surveyor office is responsible for developing the specifications for the survey and for selecting a contractor. The program has the responsibility of maintaining the U.S. Public Land Survey System in Missouri. This system serves as the foundation for all land titles in Missouri and provides the framework for establishing property boundaries and land boundary corners.
Flowers thanked the county surveyors and the commissioners for their work and cooperation. Ray County Surveyor Terry McCanless said, “We worked painstakingly last fall to recover the monuments from the 1922 survey. Some were
buried four feet deep.” Gil Rector, Lafayette County commissioner, agreed saying, “The fact that numerous stone markers were found is amazing.” The county commissioners and surveyors expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Since the mid 1970s, more than 7,000 new markers have been replaced or reestablished by the various county surveyors with funds provided by the Department of Natural Resources. This ongoing effort aids landowners, surveyors and mappers by providing land boundary information that facilitates the accurate determination of property ownership.
Visitors to the department’s Web site are now able to perform a number of searches from their home computers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on the vast holdings at the state’s Land Survey Repository. Searches on the Land Survey Index include legal descriptions (township, range and section), subdivision plats, U.S. survey number, General Land Office plats and field notes by township, surveyor name or number and City of St. Louis city blocks and roads. Additional information about the department’s Land Survey Program is available on the Web at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/landsurvey/.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND SIGMA —
ALDRICH INC. ENTER INTO LETTER OF AGREEMENT
The Department of Natural Resources and Sigma — Aldrich Inc. entered into a Letter of Agreement. The agreement is the starting point for Sigma — Aldrich Inc. to investigate possible releases at its facility and determine if cleanup is necessary.
Sigma — Aldrich is located at 3500 Dekalb St. in St. Louis and actively produces, packages and stores research biochemicals. Other products are also packaged and stored at this facility. Early operations at the facility included the production of cosmetics, shoe dressings, adhesives and inks for cardboard packaging and corrosion resistant paints. These operations were stopped in the late 1950s. Sigma — Aldrich operated a hazardous waste storage area under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste permit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency produced a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act facility assessment report showing possible releases of hazardous wastes and hazardous constituents to the soil at the facility. Sigma — Aldrich continued the investigation and developed recommendations for actions to protect human health and the environment. It was Sigma-Aldrich’s intent that the resulting report would fulfill the requirements for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act facility investigation and corrective measures study under the corrective action process.
The letter of agreement is the starting point for carrying out an expedited corrective action program, or cleanup investigation, at Sigma — Aldrich’s facility. The agreement describes the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the department and Sigma — Aldrich for possible cleanup activities at the facility. The first step under the agreement will be to develop a facility investigation work plan. The work plan will outline the framework for investigation of possible contaminant releases to the environment. Sigma — Aldrich will examine the rate of movement and amount of contaminant released. What, if any, cleanup activities necessary to protect human health and the environment will be based on the investigation results.
The letter of agreement is available on the department’s Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/permits/notices.htm.
For more information on the agreement, or to request to have your name placed on Sigma — Aldrich Inc.’s mailing list to receive notice on any major cleanup activities at the facility, contact Richard Hock at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Hazardous Waste Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. You can also reach Hock by telephone at
573-751-3553 or 800-361-4827 or by e-mail at richard.hock@dnr.mo.gov. Hearing and speech-impaired people may reach
Hock through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.
SOIL AND WATER COMMISSIONER RECEIVES NATIONAL
RECOGNITION FOR STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES
Leon Kreisler, vice chair of the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission, and his wife, Helen, were awarded the 2007 Region III Environmental Stewardship Award by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The Kreislers were recognized for their stewardship practices and conservation achievements on their farm, Oak Knoll Ranch, in Salem.
For the past 17years, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program annually recognizes U.S. cattle producers that make an extensive effort to conserve and protect natural resources on their land while maintaining successful cattle operations. These winners strive to leave their land in better condition than they started with for future generations. Seven regional winners are selected and one national winner is chosen from the group at the 2008 Cattle Industry Convention in Reno, Nevada in February.
“Helen and I are very honored to be receiving this award,” said Leon Kreisler. “Our goal has always been to try to leave the land in better condition than we started with.”
The Kreislers’ Oak Knoll Ranch in south central Missouri is a 100-head commercial Angus cow/calf operation on 360 acres with an additional 120 acres on long-term lease. Additional income is obtained through a limited fee-lease hunting base and timber thinning. The Kreisler’s started their farm in 1985 and continue to provide one hundred percent of the labor. They have worked with various agencies to expand their system, including the Dent County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the National Resources Conservation Service, the University of Missouri-Extension and the Farm
Services Agency.
Their entire farm is in a management intensive system. When they first experimented with it, water location and availability became limiting factors. To overcome this, the Kreislers installed seven fountain waterers, five tire tanks and two freeze-proof concrete waterers off two wells and 13 ponds. All of the ponds are fenced to allow limited access. Due to the rotation of animals and non-confinement, the manure is evenly distributed throughout the acreage. They also fenced through woodlands to ensure that the manure is being deposited on the pastures, as well as to protect that habitat. To provide wildlife habitat, they have diversified the forage base, installed a multitude of bluebird and purple martin birdhouses and left brushpiles from forestry thinnings.
The Kreislers are leaders in their community as well as on their farm. They belong to various local, regional, state and even national organizations including the Dent County Cattlemen’s Association, the University of Missouri’s Wurdack Advisory Committee and the Missouri Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative Committee. Their farm is a frequent host site for grazing schools held in the area for producers beginning to implement management intensive grazing or conservation practices on their own farms.
“This type of farming takes hard work and dedication,” said Kreisler. “Results are not immediate or obvious at first, but it will show up in the future, and that’s what matters.”
The Environmental Stewardship Award Program is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences LLC and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and is administered by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
BOOKS, MAPS, POSTERS AND PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM THE DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND LAND SURVEY
Informational books, trading cards and posters make great gifts
With the holidays and gift giving coming up you might check out some of the books, posters, CDs and maps available from the Division of Geology and Land Survey. These beautiful, informational books continue to be favorites for Missourians and visitors to our great state and they make great gifts. Here are just a few of the items available.
Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri by Thomas R. Beveridge, Second Edition, revised by Jerry D. Vineyard, 392 p., 163 figs., app., 1991. Locates and describes over 400 interesting geologic features including mountains, hills, knobs, mounds, shut-ins, waterfalls, rapids, bluffs and others. Price $34.
Springs of Missouri by Jerry D. Vineyard and Gerald L. Feder, with sections on fauna and flora by William L. Pflieger and Robert G. Lipscomb, 267 p., 94 figs., 26 tbls., 1974 (reprinted 1982). Describes and locates large springs of Missouri; includes rates of flow, and water composition and quality. Provides information on what makes springs work, pollution potential, historical use of springs and more. Price $22.
Guidebook to the Geology Along Interstate- 55 in Missouri by Joseph L. Thacker and Ira R. Satterfield, 128 p., 57 figs, Revised Edition 1997. Price $18.00. This guidebook has numerous illustrations and is designed for use by the nongeologist as well as the professional geologist. The highway cuts across a rock formation that is a source of silica sand, several high quality limestone formations, a couple of faults with consderable displacement, unusual solution features, and one rock unit that is not well known and is not well exposed in adjacent areas. Brief accounts of historic areas along I-55 are included, too.
Missouri Environmental Geology Atlas - M.E.G.A. A Collection of Statewide Geographic Information System Data Layers - Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2003. CD containing MEGA Layers includes: Bedrock, Sinkholes, Counties, Springs, Certified Wells, Logged Wells, Public Water Wells, Dye Traces, Stream Hydrology —gaining and losing, Geological Structures, Major Streams, Lakes, Alluvium, Surficial Materials, Urban Areas, Public Land Survey System, and Major Roads. Software provided for viewing GIS data coverages and an Easy-to-Follow Manual. Price $45.
The 1998 DGLS Trading Card Series contain 40 cards covering nine different general interest topics. Learn about Caves, Dams, Ice Age Animals, Rivers, Springs, Land Surveying, Rocks, Minerals, Wells, and Past State Geologists. Suitable for children and adults of all ages. You can even play games with these cards! Price $6.
The 2000 DGLS Trading Card Series contains 60 cards covering 13 different general interest topics. Learn more about: Caves, Dams, Fossils, Geology, Ice Age Animals, Rivers, Springs, Land Surveying, Publications, Rocks, Minerals, Geologic Wonders, Wells, and Past State Geologists. This set has four new categories. Cards come with game directions. Price $8.
Third Series Missouri Resource Trading Cards contains 60 cards covering 12 different general interest topics. Learn even more about caves, dams, fossils, geology, river, springs, land surveying, publications, geologic wonders and rocks and minerals. Game instructions included. Price $8.
Fourth Series Missouri Resource Trading Cards “The Missouri River - Lewis and Clark Expedition” contains 80 cards covering the Missouri River and Lewis and Clark’s expedition on the river in Missouri as it relates to geology, water resources, dams and land surveying. Price $8.
The Geologic Story of the St. Louis Riverfront - A Walking Tour by Arthur W. Hebrank, 50 p., 41 figs., 1989. An entertaining discussion of geologic materials used in buildings and structures on the old St. Louis riverfront. Price $10.
Check out the collection of full-color posters featuring fossils, earthquakes and more topics, plus hundreds more books, posters and maps listed in a 64-page catalog available online at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/adm/publications/pubscatalog.pdf.
Order online at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/adm/publications/MapsOrder.htm or call 573-368-2125 or 800-361-4827, or you stop by the office at 111 Fairgrounds Road in Rolla, Missouri. For more information send an e-mail to geopubs@dnr.mo.gov.
DEPARTMENT USES ENVIRONMENTAL TOOLS TO AID IN CEMETERY LOCATION
Using equipment more commonly employed to detect buried environmental hazards, the Department of Natural Resources helped the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office to locate graves in a 19th century cemetery that had been destroyed by a landowner.
Staff members from the department’s Environmental Emergency Response Section, Division of State Parks, and Division of Geology and Land Survey worked at the cemetery site southwest of Stover, using ground-penetrating radar to establish the location of some of the cemetery’s estimated 20 to 30 graves. The graves’ markers were lost when the landowner reportedly bulldozed the area, according to Morgan County Sheriff Jim Petty.
“This equipment is typically used to locate drums, utility or product lines,” said environmental responder Brad Harris, who was among those who surveyed the site. “The ground-penetrating radar identified underground features, or anomalies, consistent
with a grave.”
Based on the findings of the radar, officials used a backhoe to dig three- to four-foot trenches, allowing archeologists to
examine the soil profile. The process of digging a grave changes the soil profile, allowing archeologists to identify the
location as a likely gravesite.
“Basically what we were looking for were grave shafts that had been excavated and then back filled,” said Brant Vollman,
an archeologist with the department’s Division of State Parks. “We were intentionally trying not to get deep enough to disturb
the remains.”
Sheriff Petty requested department assistance Sept. 14 with locating enough of the graves to establish that the area had been a cemetery. Knowingly destroying a marked burial site is a felony.
For more information on the criminal case related to this incident, contact the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office at
573-378-5481 or the Morgan County Prosecutor’s Office 573-378-4694.
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:
- emergency response training and planning;
- advice on hazardous chemicals and technical expertise used to provide spill cleanup advice and oversight;
- coordinate private contractors to clean up hazardous material spills;
- ensure a proper environmental cleanup is completed;
- drug lab seizure assistance;
- Chemical Accident Prevention Program for businesses that use hazardous chemicals;
- Homeland security issues.
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. To report a hazardous substance spill call 573-634-2436.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Visit Calendar of Events at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do for a complete list of Department of Natural Resources' events through the end of the calendar year.
MISSOURI AIR CONSERVATION COMMISSION TO MEET OCT. 25
The Missouri Air Conservation Commission will hold a public meeting at 9 a.m., Oct. 25 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2644 E.
32nd St. in Joplin, Mo.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Air Pollution Control Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4817.
SAFE DRINKING WATER COMMISSION TO MEET NOV. 6
The Missouri Safe Drinking Water Commission will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., Nov. 6 at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Dr.,
in Jefferson City.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Public Drinking Water Branch
at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.
CLEAN WATER COMMISSION TO MEET NOV. 7
The Missouri Clean Water Commission will hold a public meeting Nov. 7, at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building,
1101 Riverside Dr., in Jefferson City.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.
WELL AND PUMP CONTRACTOR TESTING
TO BE HELD NOV. 7
The Wellhead Protection Section will hold well and pump contractor testing at 9 a.m., Nov. 7, at the Department of Natural Resources’ office located
at 111 Fairgrounds Road in Rolla.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources’ Wellhead Protection Section at
800-361-4827 or 573-368-2115.
WELL INSTALLATION BOARD TO MEET
NOV. 9 IN ROLLA
The Missouri Well Installation Board will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., Nov. 9 at the Department of Natural Resources’
Division of Geology and Land Survey, 111 Fairgrounds Road, in Rolla.
For more information, call the department’s Wellhead Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or
573-368-2115.
WATER QUALITY COORDINATING
COMMITTEE TO MEET NOV. 20
The Missouri Water Quality Coordinating Committee will hold a public meeting at 10 a.m., Nov. 20, at the
USGS Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, in Columbia.
For more information, call Darlene Schaben of the Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program at
800-361-4827 or 573-751-7428.
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 at www.dnr.mo.gov/regs/index.html.
Air Pollution Control Program |
Control of Emissions From Solvent Metal Cleaning |
| Rule Number 010-06.260 – Changes Kansas City Power and Light Hawthorn and Montrose plant emission rates and averaging times. | |
| Public comment ends: Oct. 4, 2007 |
Public hearing: Sept. 27, 2007 |
| Missouri Register Citation: Filed, not yet published |
Department contact: 573-751-4817 |
Geology and Land Survey |
Restriction of Emission of Sulfur Compounds |
Rule Number: 023-03.100 - Establishes
a special well drilling area in and around the New Haven Riverfront
Superfund Site. |
|
| Public comment ends: Oct. 6, 2005 |
Public hearing: Sept. 29,. 2005 |
| Missouri Register Citation: Filed, not yet published |
Department contact: 573-368-2115 |
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:
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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.
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