Taum sauk settled, without possibility of appeal

Intro: The Taum Sauk resovoir case settled Wednesday, but the State of Missouri and the Department of Natural Resources had to forfeit the option to appeal if the settlement were to change.

Beth Ford has more from Jefferson City.

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OutCue: SOC According to the settlement, Ameren Corporation will pay nearly 180 million dollars in damages after the Taum Sauk reservoir broke and destroyed Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park in 2005. For the next thirty days, Missouri residents can submit questions about the settlement, which could change the outcome, said Doyle Childers, director of the Department of Natural Resources.

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Description: "If the Attorney General should decide that he wants to change the settlement agreement, he and the judge together could actually make changes."

The changes in the settlement would be based on the submitted questions.

From the state capitol, I'm Beth Ford, KMOX News.

Intro: The Taum Sauk case settled Wednesday after nearly two years in negotiations, with 103 million dollars set to rebuild Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.

Beth Ford has more from Jefferson City.

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Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park could be entirely reopened as early as the summer 2009.

But despite the fact that that the State of Missouri and the Department of Natural Resources cannot appeal the settlement, DNR Director Doyle Childers said he was satisfied with the results of the settlement.

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Description: "The citizens of the entire state are being compensated and the local region is being compensated and the park is being rebuilt."

Ameren Corporation will begin paying the costs of the settlement in 30 business days.

From the state capitol, I'm Beth Ford, KMOX News.

Intro: Ameren Corporation will pay nearly 180 million dollars in the Taum Sauk case, but public opinion could change the settlement.

Beth Ford has more from Jefferson City.

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Ameren Corporation, the state of Missouri, and the Department of Natural Resources reached a settlement Wednesday, but the number projected isn't necessarily set in stone.

Doyle Childers, director of DNR, said that questions can be submitted about the settlement, and he expects a response from Missourians.

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Description: "I'm sure that there are at least a thousand people across -out of the five-and-a-half million Missouri citizens - that will have some difference of opinion."

Based on the questions, the numbers in the settlement could change, without the possibility of appeal.

From the state capitol, I'm Beth Ford, KMOX News.