GRANBY, Mo. (AP) - Environmental officials say mine waste removal efforts are gearing up in southwest Missouri.
Liz Hagenmaier, of the Environmental Protection Agency, says the waste removal should begin this spring at subsites in the Granby area of Newton County. The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/1SlV4ma) reports that a contractor has started clearing vegetation where the waste will be deposited.
The waste includes lead, zinc and cadmium left over from mining operations around the county dating back to the 1850s.
The EPA has plans to clean up multiple sites around the county. A later phase of the project will include locations in the Spring City and Spurgeon area.
After that, the EPA will turn to a phase that includes locations around Diamond, Stark City and Wentworth.
The work is expected to cost $30 million countywide.