JOPLIN, MO-- Moses Maritnous and his wife Kathleen have lived in this home off of Perkins Avenue for 54 years. They say lately the area has been overwhelmed with dust.
"It just was a white cloud you couldn't see a structure on past the building south of our land. It was just fogging across there and you couldn't hardly breathe," Kathleen Maritnous says.
They live by Bullfrog Mine in Northwest Joplin. They say a dumping operation there, combined with dry conditions, is harming their living environment.
"I went out there and had to come back in the house because I just couldn't breathe out there," Kathleen Maritnous says.
The property is owned and operated by Dennis Neely with B&D Yardbuilders. We asked him about the issue, but he wouldn't comment. Neely did meet with two inspectors with the State Department of Natural Resources on site Friday.
"He can bring in waste from other areas as long as it meets the definition of a clean fill. It can be used to fill expedated holes and shafts like this," Renee Bogart, DNR Spokesperson, says.
The inspectors found no violations, but did express some concern about conditions in the area.
"It would be in [Neely's] best interest and the interest of those living nearby to continue to keep that area wet to try to reduce the amount of dust, but they did not document any dust leaving that property that would result in an air pollution violation," Bogart says.
Local residents say they still haven't seen any watering on the property, but they have seen plenty of dust.
"We're glad if they want to fill the hole, but they've got to find some other way," Kathleen Martinous says.
Residents say they will continue to send pictures and videos of the problem to the State until they get relief.
"There's no way you can get away from it," Kathleen Martinous says.
DNR officials say they have to witness dust in nearby areas firsthand before they can issue a violation. They say if anyone has concerns call the regional office to prompt an investigation.
"It just was a white cloud you couldn't see a structure on past the building south of our land. It was just fogging across there and you couldn't hardly breathe," Kathleen Maritnous says.
They live by Bullfrog Mine in Northwest Joplin. They say a dumping operation there, combined with dry conditions, is harming their living environment.
"I went out there and had to come back in the house because I just couldn't breathe out there," Kathleen Maritnous says.
The property is owned and operated by Dennis Neely with B&D Yardbuilders. We asked him about the issue, but he wouldn't comment. Neely did meet with two inspectors with the State Department of Natural Resources on site Friday.
"He can bring in waste from other areas as long as it meets the definition of a clean fill. It can be used to fill expedated holes and shafts like this," Renee Bogart, DNR Spokesperson, says.
The inspectors found no violations, but did express some concern about conditions in the area.
"It would be in [Neely's] best interest and the interest of those living nearby to continue to keep that area wet to try to reduce the amount of dust, but they did not document any dust leaving that property that would result in an air pollution violation," Bogart says.
Local residents say they still haven't seen any watering on the property, but they have seen plenty of dust.
"We're glad if they want to fill the hole, but they've got to find some other way," Kathleen Martinous says.
Residents say they will continue to send pictures and videos of the problem to the State until they get relief.
"There's no way you can get away from it," Kathleen Martinous says.
DNR officials say they have to witness dust in nearby areas firsthand before they can issue a violation. They say if anyone has concerns call the regional office to prompt an investigation.
