AIR CONSERVATION PANEL MEETS IN CAPE

The Missouri Air Conservation Commission blew through Cape Girardeau Thursday, holding hearings and bringing news.

The commission meets regularly, but it was the first time in about three years it has come to Cape Girardeau. The commission usually meets in Kansas City, St. Louis or Jefferson City.

Roger Randolph, air pollution control program director for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said the commission held a public hearing about legislation that is due for enactment.

The legislation would regulate the amount of emission from charcoal kilns. He said the industry has been relatively unregulated, and the new law would cut by 99 percent the amount of organic compounds and carbon sent into the air from the kilns.

Randolph said the kilns reduce a ton of hardwood to 800 pounds of water, 900 pounds of organic material and 500 to 600 pounds of charcoal. The legislation will go into effect incrementally beginning next year and coming to full regulation by 2005.

Randolph said the charcoal industry worked with the DNR to implement the regulation. He said that will make the legislation easier to implement.

The charcoal industry is prevalent between Poplar Bluff and the Ozarks.

Gary L. Gaines, director of the DNR southeast regional office, said one of the biggest kilns in the state, Imperial Charcoal Kilns, is about 15 miles west of Poplar Bluff near Elsinore.

"From the highway you can see a whole panoramic view of the operation including the plume," Gaines said. "You can smell it from a long way off as well."

Gaines expects to see some immediate reduction next year in the amount of emissions.

"Our office gets a lot of complaints from people with chronic respiratory problems that live near the facility," he said. "They complain about how it triggers asthma and spasms. You can drive by a facility the size of the one near Elsinore with your windows up and the air conditioner on and still smell the odor."

Gaines said the regulation may force some smaller companies out of business.

Steven Feeler, DNR air pollution control chief of enforcement, said the commission also was reviewing an appeal Thursday by R.V. Wilson of Poplar Bluff whose company, World Energy Products, has been cited four times for opacity violations.

Opacity is the degree of density of emissions from a business. New businesses are only allowed a 20 percent opacity, which means the emissions are easy to see through.

World Energy Products, which burns tires in the production of ethanol, has been cited for emissions between 80 and 100 percent, indicating a dense smoke.

Wilson is appealing the citations because he applied for a permit in 1994, when he began his business and was told the company was too small.

"All that means is that he does not need a permit; that does not exempt him from complying with any regulation," Feeler said.

If Wilson loses his appeal he will be required to hire a private company to conduct emission tests. If he continues to operate his business in violation of the regulations, Wilson would be subject to legal action.

Feeler said the burning tires represents a health hazard.