Doe Run, Missouri DNR reach agreement on lead cleanup

PARK HILLS, MO (KRCU) - Doe Run and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up lead contamination in a popular state park and an adjacent floodplain.

Nearly 15% of St. Joe State Park near Park Hills is slated for cleanup. It is Missouri’s third largest state park.

St. Joe Minerals Corporation donated the park to Missouri DNR in 1976. The land was mined for lead between 1923 and 1972. St. Joe Mineral Corporation changed its name to Doe Run Resources Corporation in 1994.

According to an EPA press release, elevated levels of lead are present in the Shaw Branch of Flat River. Heightened lead has been found in sediment, surface water, and aquatic life.

Total cleanup will cost approximately $7 million and 18 months. Most of the costs will be covered by the bankruptcy settlement of American Smelting and Refining Company in 2009. A $7.7 million special account was specifically designed for St. Joe State Park, according to the EPA.

Posted in: Doe Run Resources Corporation,environment,EPA,Missouri Department of Natural Resources,St. Joe State Park