JEFFERSON CITY—The Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment Committee met today (1/5) in the Capitol to discuss the Missouri Department of Natural Resource’s (DNR) actions regarding the discovery of high levels of E. coli bacteria in the Lake of the Ozarks last summer.
The committee invited several individuals to testify, including DNR Director Mark Templeton, former DNR Deputy Director and general counsel Joe Bindbeutel, former DNR Communications Director Susanne Medley, as well as lab technicians who conduct water quality tests for Missouri’s public waterways.
The public hearing included a review of the information provided to the committee by the department at the committee’s request. In late July, the committee began thoroughly reviewing the circumstances that led to a nearly month-long delay in the release of public health reports concerning E. coli in the Lake of the Ozarks. The committee also discussed if changes in law are necessary to prevent similar delays in public health information in the future.
Senators serving on the committee include Chairman Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah), Vice-Chairman Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit), Sen. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles), Sen. John Griesheimer (R-Washington), Sen. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis), Sen. Luann Ridgeway (R-Smithville), Sen. Joan Bray (D-St. Louis), Sen. Tim Green (D-St. Louis) and Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City).
Broadcast-quality video clips and streaming video and audio of the committee hearing are now available on the Senate Newsroom website (go to Audio or Video, then click on Daily Audio/Video Clips).
The Second Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly begins at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. For more information about the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or e-mail newsroom@senate.mo.gov.
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