News Release No. 274

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVIEWS EAGLEPICHER TECHNOLOGIES LLC'S PERMIT APPLICATION

Volume 33-274

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 13, 2005 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has begun a technical review of a hazardous waste permit application submitted by EaglePicher Technologies LLC. The facility is located at C and Porter streets in Joplin. EaglePicher Technologies submitted this application for renewal of its current hazardous waste permit. State regulations allow the current hazardous waste permit to continue while the department reviews the permit application.

EaglePicher is an active battery manufacturing facility. It manufactures special purpose batteries for commercial and governmental applications. The battery manufacturing process produces hazardous waste. Some of this hazardous waste is stored on-site for more than 90 days. EaglePicher's current hazardous waste permit allows them to store the hazardous wastes on-site before shipping it off-site for treatment and disposal. Other activities covered by the current hazardous waste permit include investigation, cleanup, and long-term monitoring and maintenance activities for a former lead chemicals surface impoundment. These activities will continue under the new permit.

The Department of Natural Resources invites the public to review and offer written comments on the permit application. Comments are most effective if they point out legal or technical issues in the permit application. Please send written comments to David Walker, Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Hazardous Waste Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. The department will consider and accept comments on the application during the technical review until the department reaches a decision to issue a draft permit or to deny the application.

The public can review and copy the permit application and supporting documents at the following locations:

Joplin Public Library
300 South Main St.
Joplin, Mo.
Hours:
9 a.m. to 9 p.m.---Monday and Tuesday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.---Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.---Sunday

or, by appointment at either of the following department offices:

Southwest Regional Office
2040 West Woodland
Springfield, Mo.
Phone: 417-891-4300

Hazardous Waste Program
1738 East Elm St. (lower level)
Jefferson City, Mo.
Phone: 573-522-3345

Interested parties can have their names placed on EaglePicher's mailing list by writing or calling Walker at any time. By doing this, they will receive notice from the Department of Natural Resources or EaglePicher on any major permitting and cleanup activities at the facility. For more information, call Walker at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3553.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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