News Release No. 046

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
ISSUES ODOR VIOLATION TO MOARK IN NEOSHO

Volume 34-046

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, FEB. 7, 2006 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has issued an odor violation to Moark in Neosho based on a December investigation at the facility.

The department detected strong odors at Moark’s composting facility on Dec. 9 while responding to a complaint filed with the department’s Southwest Regional Office. The composting area is located across Highway D from Moark’s new poultry buildings currently under construction.

The new buildings are designed to blow atmospheric air over the bird litter, drying the product as it is made and reducing ammonia and other odorous emissions. They will produce litter that is dry enough to bypass the majority of the compost activities and allow Moark to land apply the litter.

“I understand the community is concerned about odors emitting from this facility,” said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers. “Moark is contracting with a third-party university to conduct monitoring, sampling and other environmental measurements to confirm any decrease in odor. The department will continue to monitor the air quality surrounding the facility. I fully expect odors at the composting facility to reduce when the new poultry houses are complete.”

This is the first odor violation issued to the facility. However, if the Moark continues to emit odors at high levels exceeding the state air quality standard, the department will take further action.

The department detected an exceedance of the state’s air quality standard on Dec. 9 and collected an air sample to send to outside laboratory. The laboratory performed an olfactometry panel analysis on the air sample. An olfactometry panel is a group of people who characterize the odor for its concentration and intensity. The sample exceeded the state air quality standard and the department issued a Notice of Excess Emissions to Moark on Dec. 22.

Moark had until Jan. 31, 2006, to respond to the excess emissions and provide information about a potential startup, shutdown or equipment malfunction. Moark’s Jan. 30 response did not meet the state’s criteria. Therefore, the department upgraded the Notice of Excess Emissions to a Notice of Violation, as required by state regulation.

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

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