Region 7

Serving Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and 9 Tribal Nations

EPA Partners with Water Utilities to Save Energy

(Kansas City, Kan., July 23, 2008) - EPA hosted a first-ever Innovative Energy Management Workshop on July 22 in Kansas City, Mo., to assist water and wastewater treatment utility officials in the assessment of their current energy management programs in order to make improvements and save energy. Rising energy costs are a major challenge for water and wastewater utilities. News Release

---

EPA Welcomes Vermeer Corporation to Performance Track

(Kansas City, Kan., July 17, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today welcomed the Vermeer Corporation, a manufacturer of agricultural, construction, environmental and industrial equipment, as the newest member of its Performance Track program in Region 7. News Release

EPA Approves Iowa's List of Impaired Waters

(Kansas City, Kan., July 15, 2008) - EPA has approved Iowa's 2006 list of impaired waters. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) submitted this impaired waters list to EPA for review and approval March 12, 2008. The Clean Water Act requires states, territories, and authorized tribes to develop lists of impaired waters every two years. By law, EPA must approve or disapprove those lists. This action is not related to the recent flooding in Iowa. News Release

EPA Administrator Johnson Presents Presidential Award to Mike Calwell for Volunteer Service on Kansas River

(Kansas City, Kan., July 11, 2008) - EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson today honored Mike Calwell, of Mission, Kan., as recipient of the President's Volunteer Service Award, in recognition of Calwell's efforts to make the Kansas River more accessible and enjoyable to the public. News Release

EPA Spotlights Green Technologies at Grand Opening of Zarco Earth Friendly Fuels Station in Lawrence, Kan.

(Kansas City, Kan., June 30, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency highlighted green technologies at the June 30 grand opening of the Zarco 66 Earth Friendly Fuels Station in Lawrence, Kan. Besides offering a variety of ethanol and biodiesel fuels, the station at 2005 W. 9th Street is being designed and built with a number of environmentally-friendly aspects. News Release

Air Sampling, Monitoring Shows No Health Risk in Parkersburg

(Kansas City, Kan., June 27, 2008) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air sampling for asbestos and air monitoring for particulates in Parkersburg, Iowa, has shown no health risk. The Agency has been providing ongoing sampling and monitoring since June 10. A tornado struck the town of Parkersburg, Iowa, on May 25, 2008, destroying approximately 240 homes and damaging 400 more. News Release | Region 7 Response Page

Region 7 Staff Gets First-Hand Look at Renewable Energy

Nearly 40 EPA employees took a three-city tour of diverse energy resources in Missouri recently. They learned about the LifeLine Foods ethanol production facility in St. Joseph from Mike Sobetski, vice president and chief operating officer (in photo). LifeLine Foods produces both food products and ethanol at their facility. The EPA Region 7 group also visited the Loess Hills Wind Farm that supplies the city of Rock Port with nearly all of its electricity, and the Northwest Missouri State University Power Plant in Maryville. The plant burns wood and manure pellets to provide at least 90 percent of the university's steam for heating and cooling the campus.

More Press Releases and Fact Sheets