It's About Time! RES Receives Demand Letter

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is asking Renewable Environmental Solutions LLC (RES) to negotiate or pay the penalties, of up to $60,000, for their odor emissions. Previously, RES was issued six Notices of Excess Emissions, on March 31, April 15, April 20, June 10, July 22, and August 5, 2005. The Notices are now VIOLATIONS, because the company was not able to show that the emissions were the result of an equipment malfunction or problems at startup or shutdown.

The Demand Letter sets out a process to settle or negotiate a resolution. RES's first option would be to pay the $10,000 per violation. Another option would be to negotiate a different settlement, before September 2, 2005. If that doesn't happen, the matter goes to the Missouri Air Conservation Commission. According the The Carthage Press, Saturday, August 20, 2005, if the matter goes to the Missouri Air Conservation Commission, the MDNR Air Pollution Control Program will request authorization to refer the violations to the State's Attorney General's Office.

Well, to me, that is a pretty bureaucratic process to collect the $60,000 fine, especially since the Missouri Attorney General has already joined the City of Carthage in a nuisance lawsuit against RES. I think that if they pollute, they ought to pay. There is no question in anyone's mind that RES stinks. It is time to pay up, now.

Wait Just A Minute!

A recent headline in The Carthage Press (Thursday, August 11, 2005) read, "RES in Line For Energy Act Initiatives". The new federal energy act may be a catalyst for Renewable Environmental Solutions (RES) to take its production and distribution to another level. Carthage City Attorney, David Mounton said, "They've indicated they're at the center of renewable initiatives in the new energy bill. They also plan to add additional employees and make Carthage the training center for similiar facilities".
The article states, 'The energy act will promote the use of renewable energy sources with tax credits for wind, solar and biomass energy. The bill also expands research into developing hydrogen technologies and establishing a flexible, National Renewable Fuels Standard to encourage greater use of renewable fuels, like ethanol and biodiesel. RES could be eligible for production tax credits available per kilo-watt-hour. The Carthage plant, with one of its products diesel fuel, would need to be economically and technically feasibile to qualify.'

I am all for the research, development and commercialization of renewable energy sources. However, not in my neighborhood, when the process negatively affects the quality of life, and ends up creating another problem, 'stink'. I say, Wait Just A Minute, before we even think about RES expanding or using one of my tax dollars, until which time they have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, (or a sniff of the nose) that they have fixed the problem(s).

"It Stinks and Stinks Pretty Bad"

Carthage City Attorney David Mounton said, "I think that to some people in the City of Carthage, it stinks and stinks pretty bad". The Carthage Press, Thursday, August 11, 2005
"Early on, we envisioned deadlines that have passed as they have tried additional proposals. What's a reasonable period? New technology takes time. You can't very well order a new odor control devices that are prefabricated. When they've spent a bunch of money and plan to spend more to solve the problems, there's incentives to give them additional time".

RES Closed During Religious Celebration

RES has been closed during the week long religious ceremony, Marian Days, located on the campus of Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix in Carthage. Fortunately, the 50,000-60,000 estimated guests to the City of Carthage have not had to smell odors coming RES. Thank you to the Carthage City Attorney, Missouri Attorney General and/or the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for including this 'closure' as part of the Consent Decree with RES.
No bad smells for a whole week; what can we do to keep it that way, forever?

Citations Keep Coming

Edgar Simpson, Editor of The Joplin Globe, Sunday, July 24, 2005, said it all, "Whatever the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is doing to work with RES on the odor problem in Carthage, it apparently is not enough. Renewable Environmental Solutions was cited a fifth time for odor violations on July 14. Everyone from the city mayor to US Rep. Roy Blunt to DNR Director Doyle Childers has said that the situation is unacceptable and the problem needs to be addressed. Those efforts, seemingly, have failed since the citations keep coming even after the company announced it had installed equipment to curb the problem. The question now is can the state make a difference or are the citations merely public relations for the department and another cost of doing business for the company?" http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=106014