P&G GETS WETLANDS PERMIT; ROBINSON GIVBES INDUSTRIAL UPDATE AT COFFEE

Procter & Gamble has received its wetlands permit from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

The permit is one of the major ones for P&G's $350 million expansion project announced in April.

"This is good news," said Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association. "I would guess that right now scrapers and bulldozers have already started work on the plant sitework."

Robinson discussed the P&G project, activities at the Southeast Missouri Port Authority and other industrial activity during the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee.

"There's a lot of exciting activity going on in the Cape area," Robinson told a near-capacity crowd Friday.

-- The Missouri Department of Transportation is ahead of schedule on moving Route J at the P&G site.

-- A dozen different contractors are in the Port area, to pave Nash Road.

-- Foundation work is under way on the new Consolidated Grains facility at the Port.

-- Plans have been announced for the new chip mill at the Port.

-- The recruitment association has received a number of inquiries about its new "spec" building in the Nash Road Industrial Park area.

"This has been a busy spring and year," said Robinson. "The industrial construction activity will reach a frantic pace when work starts on the new P&G plant."

P&G is waiting on one final set of air quality permits before actual construction of the new building can start.

"At that time, probably by November, a formal ceremony with the governor, state, local and P&G officials will be held," said Robinson.

"This is the largest one-time investment ever made by Procter & Gamble," said Robinson.

Three companies -- Fru-Con, Fluor Daniel Construction and Valmet of Sweden will team to build the plant.

Robinson had kind words for MO-DOT.

"I want to brag on MO-DOT," he said. "I believe that MO-DOT officials have set a new record of construction in moving Route J to make room for the building site."

They have reacted to the needs of a major economic development project, Robinson added. "As reported in the Southeast Missourian this week, the road should be completed in September. This is outstanding work, and we offer our thanks."

Turning to the south, Robinson said the Port was a bee hive of activity.

"The landscape is changing," said Robinson. "The Port will certainly have a different look by the end of the year."

Robinson also discussed briefly, meetings with Missouri Department of Economic Development officials who where in Cape Girardeau for a workshop this week, a meeting with CIPS Electric officials who were here to meet with Union Electric officials about a merger to be completed later this year.

Robinson announced that a special meeting to discuss Enterprise Zones will be held at the Osage Centre from 8 to noon on Aug. 21. The chamber will sponsor the meeting.

Robinson also introduced a new 10-minute video provided through the efforts of Procter & Gamble, the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the recruitment association.