'Keep the Pressure on RES...You Don't Get Used to that Smell'

Friday, March 7, 2008, Doyle Childers, Director of Missouri Deparment of Natural Resources (MDNR) provided Carthage officials and interested citizens an update on what MDNR is doing to solve the 'stink' problem in Carthage. Speaking at the Carthage Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Childers said, “Once we identify the pollutants, we want to work with the source and mitigate the problem. We think the method being used now will give us better detail on what’s going on and allow us to identify the priority pollutants causing the odors.”

He was referring to Microalaytic's report, dated November 25, 2007, that was completed by Don Wright of Round Rock, TX. Leanne Tippett Mosby, director of MDNR’s division of environmental quality, said the study has reached a point that researchers need to work with local companies to gather odor components for comparison. It was disclosed that MDNR has received 67 odor complaints during the (90-day) period November 2007 through January 2008.

Regarding the meeting, Mayor Jim Woestmann said, "As the mayor of Carthage, it was very, very positive that they were here and it got good coverage from the media. That's what we have to do right now is speak up and keep the pressure on RES. That's the only weapon we have right now is keeping the pressure on. A lot of times businesses think well, they'll get tired of complaining. Well, I'm sorry, you don't get used to that smell."

The Joplin Globe, Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Carthage Press, Sunday, March 9, 2008