August 24, 2007

Katterman Trucking, a ready-mix concrete facility located in Hale, has received a $147,680 state pollution prevention loan from the Department of Environmental Quality. The company applied for funds under the Small Business Pollution Prevention Loan Program to construct a closed loop wash water recycling system for operations dealing with spent concrete mix materials from their mix-truck washing. The company estimates that these improvements will reduce water consumption by 116,000 gallons per year and completely eliminate liquid industrial waste.

"We are pleased to partner with Katterman Trucking in their efforts to keep Michigan's environment safe," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "This project is a demonstration of our ideal that environmental protection and economic growth go hand-in-hand."

The DEQ and the company's local lending institution, National City Bank, each contributed half of the loan proceeds.

"We're glad to finally get this pollution prevention project underway," said Jacquie Katterman, president of Katterman Trucking. "We're a small business; the savings from the low-interest loan are enabling us to move forward with this much needed project."

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees can apply for loans of up to $400,000 with a guaranteed interest rate of not more than 5 percent. The short application helps businesses describe how their projects will eliminate or reduce waste through source reduction; environmentally sound reuse, and/or recycling; including water and energy conservation projects.

Loans are available to all private business sectors including farming, manufacturing, retail, and service. For more information, contact the DEQ's Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278, or by e-mail at deq-ead-env-assist@michigan.gov.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised August 24, 2007 by Pat Watson