Franklin County completes draft of coal ash landfill regulation; meeting this Friday

LABADIE, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - The Franklin County Board of Commissioners has completed a draft zoning regulation that would open the door for Ameren to build a coal ash landfill in the small Franklin County town of Labadie.

Opportunities for the public to comment on the draft regulation are limited.

As written, the regulation would allow coal ash landfills to be built in Franklin County, with some restrictions.

Patricia Schuba of the Labadie Environmental Organization says she has a number of concerns about the draft.

"There are many questions that are still out there about these regulations, some new things that were added, some things that were deleted, and what we would like is that the public have a chance to comment on this, and that we have a little more time to review it," Schuba said.

Franklin county commissioner Ann Schroeder says the commission will discuss the draft regulation this Friday at 10 a.m. The session will be open to the public.

"But it’s not an open mic session, it’s for us to go through what we have now, and talk about it, and our concerns and likes, dislikes, everything like that. Because we’ve already had the public sessions before this," Schroader said

Schroeder expects the commission to vote on a final regulation within a week or two.

Schuba says people should still express their concerns to the commission by fax, phone or e-mail.

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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