Latest news with #MissouriDepartmentofNaturalResources
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Public meeting on proposed CAFOs slated for Thursday in Pierce City
PIERCE CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold a public meeting from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pierce City High School gymnasium, 300 N. Myrtle St., Pierce City, to hear public comments on eight proposed concentrated animal feeding operations that could be built in Newton and Lawrence counties around this area. For those who are unable to attend the meeting in person, DNR is also accepting written comments through Friday, May 30, sent to cafo@ This in-person public comment meeting is to discuss and provide a permitting regulatory framework for the draft permits on five facilities to be built in Newton County near Wentworth and Pierce City and four in Lawrence County near Verona or Monett. The Missouri Coalition for the Environment, a grassroots group raising awareness of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, said it's trying to spread awareness of this meeting to make sure the public knows about the kind of farming operations coming close to their homes. 'This opportunity for public comment comes in the wake of the 2025 Missouri legislative session, in which the Senate Agriculture committee chair Sen. Jason Bean, Republican from Southeast Missouri, refused to schedule a hearing for a key bill that would have given local county commissions more leeway in regulating CAFOs,' the Coalition for the Environment said in a news release. 'This bill, SB 400, was introduced by Senator Tracy McCreery, Democrat from St. Louis County, and would have reinstated the authority of local health boards and county commissions to pass ordinances that impact agriculture. Missouri Legislators revoked this local control in 2019 with the passage of SB 391, which stated that county commissions cannot 'impose standards or requirements on an agriculture operation' more stringent than statewide regulations. Since then, there has been an expansion of CAFOs in the state.' The coalition said hosting an in-person hearing for multiple CAFOs at once is an unusual move by the DNR. The MCE said not all agricultural operations are equal and CAFOs create undue burdens for the surrounding community. Environmental health costs include excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus running off into surrounding waterways, contributing to toxic algal blooms and aquatic dead zones. 'It is unjust for communities to bear the health and property costs of CAFOs without an avenue for recourse,' said Melissa Vatterott, the MCE's director of policy and strategy. 'Communities should have the chance to work with their local government to put practical parameters in place as to where and how these facilities can operate.' More information is available at Documents concerning the CAFOs that will be subject of this meeting can be read at
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Warrensburg awarded $22 million loan for wastewater system improvements
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $22 million loan to the City of Warrensburg to upgrade its wastewater treatment system. The money will go toward the Warrensburg West and East Wastewater Treatment Facilities Improvements project, which will increase the treatment capacity of the city's two plants and improve the quality of the water. Black Bear spotted near Kansas City area Taco Bell This project is being funded through a low-interest loan that the department has arranged with the City of Warrensburg. The funding will cover the project's entire estimated cost, according to the department. 'This funding for Warrensburg's wastewater infrastructure project will help protect water quality and keep utility bills affordable,' said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Department of Natural Resources. The city's existing wastewater treatment plants are nearing capacity – which is why the city held a special election in August 2023, when voters approved the $22 million project. The upgrades are designed to accommodate the city's projected population increase and ensure the wastewater system can handle peak flow events. Once completed, the project will expand the average daily flow of the city's facilities to 2 million gallons per day – and a peak of 12 million gallons per day. The project will also benefit the city's economic development, since the city cannot issue building permits once the wastewater system exceeds its capacity. FOX4 Newsletters: Sign up for daily forecasts and Joe's Weather Blog in your inbox Funding for this project is backed by a $22 million low-interest loan through the department's Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The funding is estimated to save the city's ratepayers approximately $7.7 million in interest over the loan's 20-year term, according to the department. The city expects to complete the improvements by October 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Missouri students advocate for statewide science fair
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A group of students showed off their year-long research projects in the Missouri rotunda this week, but they said they would rather be showing off their efforts at the Missouri Science Fair. The only problem is Missouri currently does not have a statewide fair for students of all ages to compete for the next scientific breakthrough. Murder Solved in 20 Days: Inside the case that brought down a killer The science teacher who accompanied the dozen or so science scholars estimated a statewide science fair would cost around $600,000, but she added a local university has already agreed to host it. Fox 2 is reaching out to several agencies and STEM-centered companies in Missouri for reaction regarding the lack of a statewide showcase of science in the Show-Me state. State agencies we're reaching out to include the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Neosho receives state grant for park improvements
NEOSHO, Mo. — The city of Neosho has received nearly $45,000 in a state grant for park picnic tables and benches. The city announced this week that its Parks and Recreation Department was awarded a Non-Playground Scrap Tire Material Grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for $44,757. The money will used to purchase new picnic tables and benches in five city parks. Those parks are: • Morse Park, at La-Z-Boy Parkway and East Coler Street, 12 picnic tables and 11 6-foot park benches. • Big Spring Park, 309 W. Spring St., eight picnic tables, four 6-foot benches and six 3-foot benches. • Scenic Park, 1500 N. Main Ave., four picnic tables and five 6-foot benches. • Hawthorne Park, near Lusk Drive and South Business 49, six picnic tables. • Crystal Springs Park, 1497 Waldo Hatler Memorial Drive, one picnic table. 'We are thrilled to receive this grant, which allows us to continue to provide quality recreational spaces for our residents and visitors,' Kenny Balls, Neosho Parks and Recreation director, said in a statement. 'These improvements help enhance the experience for everyone who visits our parks, whether for a picnic, relaxing or simply enjoying nature.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
$80,000 award to support Maryville water systems
The city of Maryville, Missouri, has a new $80,000 grant to evaluate its wastewater, stormwater and drinking water systems. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Clean Water Integrated Management Plan Grant program offers funding to assist small- and medium-sized communities with capital planning and engineering costs of developing an integrated water management plan. The city will use the grant to develop a comprehensive plan by February 2027 to prioritize improvements to continue reliable service to the area, meet permit requirements and to better manage stormwater. The plan will also evaluate drinking water issues, lead service line replacement projects and substance sampling. 'Reliable water and wastewater infrastructure is essential for the sustainability of communities and industries, as well as for the quality of life for all Missourians,' said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
