DNR Processes Scott City Air Permit Without Public Hearing | The Locally Times
DNR records from March 2026 show at least two industrial air permits, including one for a Scott City grain barge, advanced without public hearings.
The agency’s Air Pollution Control Program provided a public comment period for the application that ran from January 30, 2026, to March 1, 2026. Despite the opportunity for written input, the official record for the permit application, also published by the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission, confirms that the DNR did not schedule a public meeting or hearing. The available records do not detail the specific air pollutants or emissions levels covered by the permit. Furthermore, the public notices do not outline the criteria the Air Pollution Control Program uses to decide whether to hold a public hearing for such an application. ## A Pattern of Limited Public Engagement The decision to process the Consolidated Grain and Barge permit without a hearing is not an isolated event. A separate DNR public notice dated March 8, 2026, shows Superior Industrial Solutions Inc. also applied for a Draft Intermediate Operating Permit. This marks the second time in one week an industrial air permit from the Air Pollution Control Program advanced without a public forum. The public comment period for the Superior Industrial Solutions permit ran from February 6, 2026, to March 8, 2026. As with the Scott City application, the official record confirms no public meeting was scheduled. ## Public Records Lack Key Details Public notices for both permits do not specify the potential environmental impacts, such as the types of air pollutants or emission levels involved. The records also omit key procedural information, failing to explain the methodology for informing residents about the written comment periods. The records do not indicate whether the DNR received any public comments for the Consolidated Grain and Barge permit before the March 1 deadline. Without a public hearing, the process moves forward based solely on written submissions, and the basis for the agency's decision to waive a public meeting for these industrial permits remains unstated in the official records.