U.S. sues Ameren Missouri claims violated the federal Clean Air Act, Festus power plant

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Ameren Missouri Rush Island Power Plant, Festus, MO

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U.S. sues Ameren over emissions at Festus power plant

BY JEFFREY TOMICH  www.STLtoday.com Wednesday, January 12, 2011

ST. LOUIS • The Justice Department is suing Ameren Missouri, alleging that emissions at the utility's Rush Island power plant in Festus violate the federal Clean Air Act.
The lawsuit, filed today in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, says Ameren performed multimillion-dollar modifications of the plant without obtaining required permits.
The utility also didn't install "state-of-the-art" pollution controls as the law requires to reduce harmful sulfur dioxide emissions.
The lawsuit says "significant amounts of sulfur dioxide pollution have been, and continue to be, released into the air" as a result of the violations.
"The Rush Island plant ranks among the largest sources of air pollution in Missouri and the nation, emitting tens of thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide each year," the lawsuit says. "These emissions harm public health and the environment, contributing to premature mortality, asthma attacks, acid rain and other adverse effects in downwind communities and natural areas."
Ameren disputes the government's allegations, claiming modifications of the Rush Island plant that are the source of the lawsuit didn't trigger new source review provisions of the Clean Air Act.
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