News Release No. 251

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES RECEIVES AWARD
FOR INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PERMITTING

Volume 34-251

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 19, 2006 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recently received a Performance Track Appreciation Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its innovative approach to flexible air permitting techniques.

The department was able to accommodate business manufacturing flexibility needs while ensuring environmental protection and encouraging pollution prevention.

The department's Air Pollution Control Program helped the 3M Company facility in Nevada obtain a new flexible air permit. The permit is designed to enable 3M to make rapid operational changes in response to shifting market demands in the graphics industry. The permit allows 3M to make changes without reopening the permit for modifications, while ensuring that 3M meets all applicable regulatory requirements.

According to EPA, the Department of Natural Resources was particularly helpful, responsive, creative and willing to explore innovative permitting approaches as part of this pilot project. 3M aims to use the permit to continuously improve the facility’s operational efficiency and to facilitate additional activity as part of the company's Pollution Prevention Pays program.

The 3M Nevada facility is one of three Performance Track members in Missouri. Performance Track is a voluntary program designed to recognize facilities that consistently meets its legal requirements and that has implemented high quality environmental management systems. Member facilities are encouraged to improve continuously its environmental performance while involving the public.

Performance Track debuted five years ago and has about 400 members nationally ranging in diversity from manufacturers, colleges, municipal operations, utilities, medical, transportation and retail facilities.

The Department of Natural Resources’ Missouri Environmental Management Partnership (MEMP) is a similar program designed to raise environmental performance beyond compliance through the voluntary application of environmental management systems. Information about the department’s MEMP program is available on the department’s Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/memp/index.html. EPA’s performance leadership program is available on the Web at www.epa.gov/performancetrack.

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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