MAC receives EPA training grant

PARK HILLS, MO (KRCU) - Mineral Area College is the recipient of a $190,000 grant to provide lead contamination cleanup training.

It’s part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s remediation project in St. Francois County.

Program Director Doug Lawson says training will be offered for four groups of twenty four individuals who want to work on environmental cleanup projects. Lawson says the contamination comes from St. Francois county’s days as a lead mining powerhouse.

"Unfortunately there wasn’t much regulation and the communities were left with contaminated materials spread throughout," Lawson says. "It’s just been known to cause developmental problems in younger children. Its been tested so they want to remove it to keep them from having access on something that could cause developmental damage to them in a young stage of life."

The application deadline is September 9th for the first of four training programs. Training will run between September 26th to October 6th.

Lauren Campbell, KRCU

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EPA issues decision on Mo. water quality standards

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - The EPA today issued its decision on Missouri's water quality standards,approving how the state categorized 244 streams, rivers and lakes.

That decision means water bodies newly designated for high contact uses like swimming will need more protection.

Some sewage treatment plants, municipalities and others will need to start treating their wastewater discharges.

EPA water quality manager John DeLashmit says the agency didn't agree with the state's categorization of 23 waterways, including the lower River Des Peres near St. Louis.

"The state proposed protecting it only for boating, canoeing, and wading," DeLashmit said. "And because of the public comments that we've received and reviewed, we are disapproving that decision and asking the state to protect it at a higher level."

Those public comments said people are using the River Des Peres for swimming. The same is true for the Mississippi River near St. Louis.

DeLashmit says the EPA will work with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to set new, more protective standards for both rivers.

Véronique LaCapra, KRCU

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EPA announces new air pollution limits for coal-fired plants

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new limits on air pollution from coal-fired power plants.

The rule aims to lower emissions from power plants in 27 states including Missouri and Illinois.

The new rule requires states to reduce power plant emissions that produce soot and smog leading to asthma, heart attacks, and other health problems and improve air quality downwind.

Ameren spokesperson Susan Gallagher says the company is still figuring out what the new regulation means for its eleven coal-fired power plants in Missouri and Illinois.

But she says some Ameren plants have already installed air pollution controls.

"We would believe that we’re at a good baseline to minimize the impact of this rule, but it’s a little different from the proposed rule in that it appears that the EPA has made the final rule more difficult for power plants to comply," Gallagher said.

Missouri Coalition for the Environment director Kathleen Logan Smith says the regulation will keep power plants from exporting their air pollution out of state.

"Because the approach for power plants for decades was if you wanted your pollution to go away you just made your stack taller, so it went further away to the next guy downwind, Logan Smith said. "This is going to address that issue, this is going to help stop that."

According to the EPA, air pollution from Missouri and Illinois can travel as far as Pennsylvania and Texas.

Power plants will need to comply with the new pollution limits starting in January.

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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Ground-level ozone standards up in the air

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is awaiting new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, that will set new standards for ozone emissions.

The EPA standards are currently at 75 parts per billion.

It may now be reduced to anywhere between 65 and 70 parts per billion.

While St. Louis is already non-compliant, the tougher regulations could make a big difference for Missouri counties that are straddling the fence between compliance and non-compliance according to the DNR’s Air Pollution Control Program interim director, Kyra Moore.

“If the standard is lowered to 65 and brings in, I’m just speculating, 10 to 15 other counties, these are people that have never had to deal with this before. And so it would take a lot of outreach by the Department to explain what they need to do, what they can do to help with ozone levels,” Moore said.

Ground-level ozone is a component of smog and affects people with respiratory problems such as asthma. It is caused automobiles, power plants, and factories.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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EPA finds low levels of E. coli in Birds Point floodway

Floodwater in the Birds Point floodway contains elevated levels of bacteria, according to limited sampling conducted by the EPA.

However, the EPA test also reveals that E. coli levels are below Missouri’s official standards for safe swimming water. E. coli is an indicator for fecal coliform bacteria.

In addition to the coliform bacteria tests, the EPA is also checking for residue from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, aluminum, and gasoline and diesel fuel. The results from those analyses are still pending, according to an EPA press release.

The EPA still advices people to avoid contact with floodwater if possible.

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Contaminated soils found in three St. Francois County schools

The EPA is removing lead-contaminated soil and replacing them with clean soils at three schools in Farmington.

Action to remove and replace soils began last week and should be completed, weather permitting, by the end of the week.

The schools are Jefferson Elementary School, W.L. Johns Early Childhood, and Truman Kindergarten. Those three facilities are attended by children whose ages put them at greatest risk of health effects from toxic lead exposure, according to a release by the EPA.

Removal work also began recently at five other area schools, including North County Primary in Bonne Terre; Parkside Elementary in Desloge; and Central Elementary, West Elementary and Special Acres in Park Hills.

Meanwhile, EPA risk assessors are reviewing the results of recent tests showing elevated levels of lead in soils at 10 of 11 public parks surveyed in St. Francois County.

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Mo. Dept. of Health: No need to worry about trace nuclear material

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - A Department of Health spokesperson says there is no need for concern of radiation in Missouri despite the nuclear meltdown from Japan.

Trace amounts of nuclear material have been found in states bordering Missouri, according to the EPA.

In the aftermath of Japan's nuclear meltdown in March, speculation has arisen about radioactivity.

Department of Health communication director Jacqueline Lapine says there is nothing to worry about. She says the amounts found around the country are hundreds of times below the regulation limit.

"Currently we have not received any reports of increased radiation from the EPA testing sites," Lapine said.

Lapine says the public should not be concerned with radiation and should live life normally.

The EPA’s David Bryan says there have been no readings of radioactive material in any of Missouri's four reading stations.

Trace amounts of radioactive material have been found in Illinois and Iowa, but Bryan says there is no need to be concerned.

"In none of those samples have we found anything that represents a health hazard," Bryan said.

Bryan says though trace amounts have been found in other states, the readings are well below any dangerous levels.

Brian Pepoon, Missouri Digital News

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Doe Run, Missouri DNR reach agreement on lead cleanup

PARK HILLS, MO (KRCU) - Doe Run and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up lead contamination in a popular state park and an adjacent floodplain.

Nearly 15% of St. Joe State Park near Park Hills is slated for cleanup. It is Missouri’s third largest state park.

St. Joe Minerals Corporation donated the park to Missouri DNR in 1976. The land was mined for lead between 1923 and 1972. St. Joe Mineral Corporation changed its name to Doe Run Resources Corporation in 1994.

According to an EPA press release, elevated levels of lead are present in the Shaw Branch of Flat River. Heightened lead has been found in sediment, surface water, and aquatic life.

Total cleanup will cost approximately $7 million and 18 months. Most of the costs will be covered by the bankruptcy settlement of American Smelting and Refining Company in 2009. A $7.7 million special account was specifically designed for St. Joe State Park, according to the EPA.

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EPA proposes new power plant air standards

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed the first-ever national standards for air pollution from power plants.

The new rules would require many power plants to install technologies to control mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollutants.

Environment Missouri’s Ted Mathys says the new standards would help protect the health of Missourians.

“We know that because Missouri has a significant amount of mercury pollution from our coal fired power plants that these regulations will help protect Missouri’s families and our wildlife from the dangerous effects of mercury pollution,” Mathys said.

Ameren Missouri says installing new pollution controls could cost hundreds of millions of dollars — costs the company says could be passed on to customers.

Ameren’s Vice President of Environmental Services, Mike Menne, says installing the required pollution controls could cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars and increase rates to consumers.

“This particular rule will require controls on every coal-fired power plant we have. We’re going to be attempting to control things that we’ve never tried to in the past,” Menne said.

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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Farmington pays $61K in fines to EPA

The City of Farmington has agreed to pay over $61,000 in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency for two separate issues.

The city was fined for spreading sewer sludge on private land in four counties. The sewer sludge contained a higher level of nickel content than is allowed under EPA regulations.

The other issue deals with Farmington’s wastewater treatment plants. The two plants emitted excessive levels of ammonia in treated wastewater. Excessive levels of ammonia in water can have adverse impacts to the environment, affecting water quality and aquatic life, according to an EPA press release.

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Bootheel ag company pays $55K in EPA fines

KENNETT, MO (KRCU) - A Southeast Missouri farm supply retailer agreed to pay nearly $54,922 in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency.

ADI Agronomy’s Ag Distribution facility in Kennett was in violation of eight risk management regulations under the Clean Air Act.

As part of its settlement with EPA, ADI Agronomy has certified that the Ag Distributors facility in Kennett is now in compliance with the chemical Risk Management Program regulations.

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EPA responses to Blunt criticism

EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks says the government’s lawsuit against Ameren for Clean Air Act violations is justified.

Last month, the EPA sued Ameren Missouri for violations at its Rush Island power plant in Jefferson County.

Senator Roy Blunt was quick to defend the company, charging the EPA with a campaign to penalize all coal-fired power plants.

EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks says Ameren made major modifications to its plant without obtaining the necessary permits or adding required pollution controls.

"The government is confident that there were violations of the Clean Air Act and that’s why we initiated the enforcement case against Ameren," Brooks said.

Ameren denies any wrongdoing, saying the modifications were routine maintenance projects that did not increase emissions.

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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Coalition asking EPA for more time to evaluate cleanup options for Carter Carburetor Superfund Site

ST. LOUIS, MO (KWMU) - A coalition of St. Louis City residents is asking the Environmental Protection Agency for more time to evaluate cleanup options for the Carter Carburetor Superfund Site on the city's north side.

The former gasoline and diesel carburetor manufacturing plant once owned by ACF Industries has dangerous levels of several toxic contaminants, including PCBs and asbestos.

Environmental justice advocate Romona Taylor Williams says she and other north side residents have asked EPA to provide an independent contractor to help them interpret the more than 600 page technical report about the site.

"The independent contractor would provide the community with the scientific technical assistance that we need in order to evaluate, and to empower ourselves with the proper information to effectively comment," Taylor Williams says.

According to an EPA statement, agency representatives met with area residents earlier this week and intend to provide more information in response to their questions.

Monday is the official deadline for the public to comment on the report, but EPA said it will continue to accept input after that date.

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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