News Release No. 180

STATEMENT FROM DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIRECTOR DOYLE CHILDERS ON NIXON LAWSUIT AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI

Volume 33-180

Contact: Connie Patterson

(For immediate release)

573-751-1010

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 26, 2005 -- "I am profoundly disappointed that the attorney general has acted on his threat to sue the people of the state to force them to spend millions of dollars on a dilapidated bridge that was never meant to be used as part of a trail and is years away from ever being able to carry a train.

"The attorney general has acted against the state's economic interests by opposing this department's decision to allow the bridge's rightful owner to use sections of it to improve rail transit in other parts of our state benefiting both passengers and commerce at absolutely no cost to the state.

"Further, it is unprecedented for an attorney general to sue his own client when there is no disagreement between this department and the governor's office over this course of action. The only logical conclusion is that the attorney general is taking this poorly reasoned action in the hopes of advancing his own political career on the backs of Missouri taxpayers. This is disgraceful and this department will do everything possible to fight this petty political power grab."

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