News Release No. 010

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES APPROVES AMERENUE PLAN TO CLEAN UP WATER IN BLACK RIVER

Volume 34-010

Contact: Connie Patterson

(For immediate release)

573-751-1010

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JAN. 13, 2006 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources today approved a proposal submitted by AmerenUE Thursday, Jan. 12, to remove suspended clay from the Black River.

The department has given the company until Tuesday, Jan. 17, to provide an implementation plan for the use of flocculents, a type of chemical that causes suspended particles to settle out of water. Flocculents are commonly used in situations where the cleanup of suspended sediment is needed.

"Gov. Blunt has instructed the Department of Natural Resources to protect the water quality in the Black River for the citizens and businesses," said Department Director Doyle Childers. "It is a priority for the state of Missouri.

"The Department of Natural Resources is, in essence, working to guarantee the environmental integrity of the Black River and Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park," Childers continued. "We are proceeding at an expedited, but cautious, pace to restore the natural and cultural resources of the park and the river."

The Department of Natural Resources is trying to prevent more sediment from flushing downstream of Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. Suspended sediment and clay are environmental concerns because of potential impacts on water quality. They can change the environment of the stream, which can affect aquatic life in the stream. Protecting aquatic life is one aspect of the Department of Natural Resources' mission.

The lower reservoir caught much of the sediment from the park when the Taum Sauk Reservoir failed, sending 1.3 billion gallons of water rushing through the park and nearby property.

Last night, the Department of Natural Resources held a public meeting in Lesterville to answer questions and to give citizens in the area an opportunity to provide input. Approximately 200 people attended the meeting. The greatest concern voiced by the local community is the clarity of the river from the lower reservoir to Clearwater Lake. The department will continue to hold these public meetings on a regular basis as the project moves forward.

The state of Missouri has no regulatory oversight of the reservoir, which is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but remains involved in the oversight of recovery efforts. The Department of Natural Resources is committed to having some services available at the park by this summer.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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