Post by Logan on Feb 17, 2016 3:11:47 GMT -6
Bill forcing state to sell 4,200 acres of Ozark land receives initial approval in Missouri House
JEFFERSON CITY • A bill that would require the state to sell 4,200 acres of Ozark land purchased using lead mining settlement money received first-round approval in the Missouri House on Tuesday.
The state and federal governments have reached settlements with lead mining companies since 2009 totaling $49.3 million to be put toward cleanup from decades of mining in southern and southeastern Missouri. About $11 million from the funds is aimed at the new state park in Oregon County, near the Arkansas border.
Lawmakers have complained since the fall that the land is nowhere near areas affected by mining, that the Department of Natural Resources didn’t notify them about the plans, and that state ownership takes money out of the county’s tax base.
Rep. Linda Black, R-Park Hills, said that all settlement money should have been used where land has been directly impacted by lead mining, not 100 miles to the south near the Arkansas line.
Read more: www.stltoday.com/news/bill-forcing-state-to-sell-acres-of-ozark-land-receives/article_fe2bba1f-e3d3-5853-9341-0d146743c62d.html
JEFFERSON CITY • A bill that would require the state to sell 4,200 acres of Ozark land purchased using lead mining settlement money received first-round approval in the Missouri House on Tuesday.
The state and federal governments have reached settlements with lead mining companies since 2009 totaling $49.3 million to be put toward cleanup from decades of mining in southern and southeastern Missouri. About $11 million from the funds is aimed at the new state park in Oregon County, near the Arkansas border.
Lawmakers have complained since the fall that the land is nowhere near areas affected by mining, that the Department of Natural Resources didn’t notify them about the plans, and that state ownership takes money out of the county’s tax base.
Rep. Linda Black, R-Park Hills, said that all settlement money should have been used where land has been directly impacted by lead mining, not 100 miles to the south near the Arkansas line.
Read more: www.stltoday.com/news/bill-forcing-state-to-sell-acres-of-ozark-land-receives/article_fe2bba1f-e3d3-5853-9341-0d146743c62d.html