CARTHAGE, Mo. — Jasper County residents gathered tonight for a meeting with the EPA.
The EPA has picked up nearly 25 million cubic yards of mining waste and is now looking to expand the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt National Priorities List Superfund Site to continue testing throughout the entire county.
At tonight’s meeting, residents were given a presentation about all the EPA has done and what it continues to do.
They also got a chance to ask questions from area experts from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
And — there are concerns.
“I feel certain that there are more people for what they are doing rather than against because we want to know what’s going on with our soil,” said Margaret Williams, Citizen.
“I’m a contractor by trade, also I think if you contract you need to be held accountable for what you do. You need to be able to find a job, and as far as I know, they have not finished any job to the satisfaction of any individuals I’ve talked to in my area, Granby,” said Gary Harris, Citizen.
“Communicating those concerns with us is the first step in the process. We need to understand what those concerns are and take them into consideration as we move forward,” said Cody McLarty, Section Supervisor for Superfund.
EPA officials will next have one-on-one conversations with residents who weren’t at tonight’s meeting because they wanted to remain anonymous.
