News Release No. 040

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ALLOWS RES TO TEST NEW EQUIPMENT ON TEMPORARY BASIS

Volume 34-040

Contact: Connie Patterson

(For immediate release)

573-751-1010

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, FEB. 1, 2006 –The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will allow Renewable Environmental Solutions Inc. (RES) an opportunity to test and evaluate its new odor control systems installed since the Carthage facility was ordered to shut down Dec. 29.

The department will closely monitor RES as it processes materials on a conditional basis from Feb. 1 through Feb. 15. RES will operate three days per week with a mixture of normal Butterball feed stock and a benign combination of grease and vegetable oils.

RES was able to monitor the performance of the new equipment during the first temporary restart the department granted last week. However, the primary focus of the restart was to process the remaining poultry waste left when the plant shut down a month ago.

“Allowing RES to operate under these conditions will enable the company to further evaluate its new air pollution control systems and determine if all odors can be totally eliminated,” said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers. “At the end of this period, the department will evaluate the facility’s performance and make a decision on the resumption of normal activities. This does not mean in any way that the company is back in business.”

Department staff will continue to monitor the air quality during the temporary restart at RES. RES must take all necessary steps to eliminate odors from its operations, including the routing of the trucks to and from the facility.

Following Gov. Matt Blunt's directive, the department ordered Renewable Environmental Solutions Inc. to stop all odorous emissions from its operations and suspended the facility's air permit for 60 days. A copy of today's amended order is available on the department's Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/resmodifiedorder.pdf. A copy of the Cease and Desist and Suspension of Permit Order issued Dec. 29 is available at www.dnr.mo.gov/resorder.pdf.The department also referred the six previous Notices of Violations to the Attorney General's Office.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department’s upcoming events, meetings and hearings, visit our online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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