Could the answer to more efficient use of corn to make ethanol lie inside a cow’s stomach? That’s exactly what Michigan State University professor Mariam Sticklen thinks.

Most manufacturers currently use just the kernels to produce corn based ethanol. But scientists understand that a corn plant stores almost half its energy elsewhere, like in the leaves and stems. These materials are usually discarded because the cellulose fiber is…[more]

The radioactive wastes at West Lake Landfill, in the Missouri River floodplain, should be cleaned up, not covered up. The landfill is upstream from drinking water intakes for North St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis. The wastes can and should be safely excavated under a temporary structure (a negative pressure building that filters the air) and moved to a licensed radioactive waste disposal facility, away from water…[more]

Jefferson City, Mo. - Attorney General Jay Nixon is challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in order to stop an EPA decision that could help pave the way for the transfer of water from the Missouri River basin to the Red River basin. As the leading proponent for Missouri’s interests in the Missouri River, Nixon has opposed plans for out-of-basin transfers for more than 15 years.

Nixon was…[more]

In an effort to move away from petroleum based films that add cost and further dependence on oil, BioSolar, Inc. has announced a new product called BioBacksheet™ which is made of materials derived from castor beans and cotton.

The new material is suited for use as a back sheet in solar panels, reducing costs by up to 25 percent. BioSolar says it is continuing to configure the plant…[more]

Parents of children who may have been exposed to toxic elemental mercury that was recently spilled on a Pittsburg, Kan., skate park are being strongly urged to immediately contact the Crawford County Health Department so that their children can receive health screenings.

Emergency responders from EPA Region 7, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office, Pittsburg Police Department and the Crawford County Health Department were…[more]

Gold nanoparticles are everywhere. They are used in cancer treatments, automobile sensors, cell phones, blood sugar monitors and hydrogen gas production. However, until recently, scientists couldn’t create the nanoparticles without producing synthetic chemicals that had negative impacts on the environment. A new method, created by a University of Missouri research team, not only eliminates any negative environmental impact, but also has resulted in national and international recognition for the lead…[more]

This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Passage Program provided Missouri nearly $100,000 to reconnect more than 28 stream miles, remove barriers to fish passage, assess and survey low-water crossings, and conduct an inventory of low-head dams.

Along with more than $775,000 in partnership funds, the Fish Passage Program will support four fish passage projects in Missouri. On a national scale, the program provided nearly…[more]

EPA has released its proposed decision on the remaining portions of Missouri’s 2004/2006 list of impaired waters. EPA is approving Missouri’s listing of 61 waters as impaired, and the delisting of 52 water bodies. The Agency is requesting public comment on its proposed decision to add or restore a total of 135 water bodies and corresponding pollutants (water body/pollutant pairs) to Missouri’s 2004/2006 impaired waters list.

Region 7…[more]

By Pete Rahn, director, Missouri Department of Transportation

Within five years, 802 of Missouri’s worst bridges will be repaired or replaced.  These badly needed improvements will mean crashes avoided, jobs created and the ability to get where you are going easier.

When we launched the Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program in September 2006, we sought to fix 802 of the state’s worst bridges using an…[more]

Despite a long history of toxic chemical releases, explosions and the fact that it has been operating without a permit for 13 years, the Veolia hazardous waste incinerator near St. Louis was issued a clean air permit by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA issued the permit late last week.

Located across the river from St. Louis, the incinerator is situated in a densely populated area and…[more]