Release Date

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 24, 2022 - The Department of Natural Resources issued a final Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility Permit to Eaton/Unisys to continue performing long-term monitoring and maintenance activities at its Joplin facility. The permit was also modified to allow removing part of the facility now owned by Lakeland LLC. 

The permit also outlines the approved final remedy, which includes limitations on property activity and use established through enforceable environmental covenants. The department’s approved final remedy and permit are effective immediately.

Vickers Inc. operated a hazardous waste storage and treatment facility at the site, located at 2800 W. 10th St. in Joplin. From 1952 through 1987, Vickers manufactured, assembled and tested hydraulic pumps, motors, hydrostatic transmissions and power-steering boosters for industrial and agricultural use. A variety of hazardous wastes were produced during the facility’s operation. These wastes were stored in two different locations at the facility until shipped off-site to approved disposal facilities. Vickers closed the hazardous waste storage areas; however, because hazardous waste remained in soil and groundwater beneath the lagoons, the facility must go through a period of long-term monitoring and maintenance.

According to state and federal hazardous waste laws and regulations, all hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities are required to investigate and clean up hazardous waste and hazardous constituent releases that result from present and past hazardous waste-handling practices. Eaton Hydraulics, as the current facility owner, and Unisys Corp., as the current facility operator, are performing long-term monitoring and maintenance activities, and conducting corrective-action investigation and remediation activities at the site under a department-issued Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility Part I Permit. In December 2007, Unisys submitted a consolidated corrective measures study report, which identified and evaluated possible remedial alternatives for soil and groundwater contamination on facility property, including Eaton/Unisys’ preferred final remedy.

On Nov. 6, 2008, Eaton submitted a permit application to renew and update its hazardous waste permit. After a thorough technical review of the permit application, Eaton/ Unisys’ preferred final remedy and other remedial alternatives, the department prepared a draft permit for the facility.

The permit requires Eaton to continue to monitor and remediate the site and perform long-term maintenance activities, as well as implement the final remedy. The statement of basis outlines the final remedy, which includes enhanced in-situ bioremediation, as well as property activity and use limitations in the form of enforceable environmental covenants. The statement of basis also summarizes the remedial alternatives and the department’s basis of support for the final remedy.

The department has conducted public participation activities for the final remedy and permit, and has reviewed all written comments and comments given at the public meeting. The department has also written a summary and response to all comments, and explained how each was addressed in making a final decision regarding the final remedy and permit.

The final permit and statement of basis are available online at dnr.mo.gov/waste-recycling/what-were-doing/public-involvement/notices-comments. Some supporting documents are not available on the department’s website due to their file size. The public can review and copy the documents listed above and other supporting documents at the Joplin Public Library, 1901 E. 20th St. in Joplin, or at the department’s Elm Street Conference Center in Jefferson City. To review or obtain copies of the department’s files, please submit a Sunshine Law request at dnr.mo.gov/open-records-sunshine-law-requests.

Any parties adversely affected or aggrieved by the department’s decision to approve the final remedy, permit and environmental covenants, or by specific conditions of these documents, may be entitled to pursue an appeal before the Administrative Hearing Commission by filing a written petition by April 15, 2022, as more fully described in the final permit.

You may call or write the department at any time to request to have your name placed on Eaton’s facility mailing list. You will receive written notice from the department or Eaton on any major permitting and cleanup activities at the facility.

For more about the final remedy, permit and environmental covenants, to obtain a printed copy of these documents to review, or to file a formal appeal, please contact Elizabeth Sutherland at 573-526-3044. Hearing- and speech-impaired individuals may reach Sutherland through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.
 

Contact Information