"Advocates Hope Federal Coal Ash Rules Spur Oversight in Missouri"

"Missouri environmental advocates who have fought for stricter oversight of coal ash waste are eagerly awaiting the mid-December release of new federal rules that will require, for the first time, detailed data.

In Missouri, there’s precious little of it, making it difficult to measure the scope and impact of the toxic waste.

Utilities such as Ameren Missouri, which operate huge power plants and generate thousands of tons of coal ash, have stored it for years in unlined disposal ponds. Many disposal ponds around the country have been found to leak, and those in Missouri and Illinois are no exception."

Jacob Barker reports for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch November 29, 2014.