Missouri DNR Skips Public Hearings for Industrial Permits | The Locally Times
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources did not schedule public hearings for two industrial operating permits, limiting direct community input.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission did not schedule public meetings or hearings for at least two industrial operating permits in early 2026. Public notices from both entities explicitly stated the absence of such forums, even as public comment periods remained open for these permits. ## Permits Approved Without Public Hearings Public notices issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission on March 8, 2026, detailed a Draft Intermediate Operating Permit for Superior Industrial Solutions Inc. The notice specified a public comment period that ran from February 6, 2026, to March 8, 2026. A similar situation occurred with the Draft Intermediate Operating Permit for Consolidated Grain and Barge Scott City. Public notices from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission, dated March 1, 2026, announced a public comment period for this permit from January 30, 2026, to March 1, 2026. Consistent with the Superior Industrial Solutions Inc. In both instances, the state agencies provided avenues for written public comment but did not offer opportunities for direct public dialogue through meetings or hearings. The records do not indicate if the DNR received any requests from the public or other groups for hearings on these specific permits. ## Unspecified Criteria for Public Engagement The public notices do not specify the criteria the Missouri Department of Natural Resources uses to determine when a public meeting or hearing is required for industrial permits. While public comment periods were active for both the Superior Industrial Solutions Inc. and Consolidated Grain and Barge Scott City permits, the absence of scheduled hearings means residents could not engage directly with officials or present concerns in a public forum. The documents do not detail the potential environmental impacts or risks associated with the operations of these industrial facilities that these permits address. The records also do not explain how the DNR ensures meaningful public engagement and accountability when formal hearings are not held. This practice limits direct public interaction with the permitting process, confining input to written submissions. The public notices do not indicate whether this approach to skipping hearings represents a recent change in policy or a long-standing practice for these types of intermediate operating permits. ## Questions Remain on Transparency and Impact The consistent absence of public hearings for these industrial operating permits raises questions about the level of transparency in the state's environmental regulation process. The public notices from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Soil and Water Districts Commission provide factual details about the comment periods and the lack of hearings, but they do not offer insight into the decision-making behind foregoing public forums. The records do not clarify the specific criteria that would trigger a public meeting or hearing for an industrial permit, nor do they outline the process for residents to request such a forum. The documents also do not detail the potential local environmental health implications of these industrial operations. The absence of these details leaves open questions regarding the DNR's broader approach to public participation in decisions that could affect local environments and communities. Future public notices will show whether this pattern of skipping public hearings for industrial permits continues.