As promised, Ameren Missouri officials have filed a plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to resolve the issue of encroachments within the Project Boundary at the Lake of the Ozarks. Ameren Missouri’s proposal, filed January 31, months ahead of FERC’s deadline of June 2012, would revise the boundary so more than 1,500 homes are no longer within the federally regulated boundary along the shoreline of the Lake.
The plan is available at AmerenMissouri.com/Lake.
“We want to thank Lake of the Ozarks stakeholders, community leaders and the public for working with us in our development of this plan,” says Jeff Green, supervisor, Shoreline Management. “We value everyone’s opinion and appreciate those who gave us input in drafting this document. We collected, responded to and included more than 400 comments in our final plan.”
Key points of the plan include:
• A comprehensive lowering of the boundary to 662’ plus carving out below 662’ for existing dwellings. This resolves more than 1500 residential dwellings that are currently located on Ameren Missouri owned lands and within the Project Boundary.
• Currently, the Project Boundary is located at 662’ or higher. The proposal does not raise the Project Boundary in any areas.
• The proposal does not change the way we have handled permits for docks, seawalls, ramps and similar permitted facilities for years.
• Ameren Missouri’s proposal retains current guidelines for public access to shoreline areas.
• Current property ownership is unchanged under Ameren Missouri’s plan. Property rights as they currently exist remain the same as before.
• The plan retains land within the Project Boundary that is needed to maintain and preserve the environment, such as wetlands, cultural properties, riparian habitat and public recreational areas.
Ameren Missouri officials remain available to assist the public with questions and concerns regarding this important issue facing Lake front property owners. Anyone with questions is urged to call our Lake Hotline at 573.365.9203, or email at lake@ameren.com. The shoreline office is available at 573.365.9212.
FERC has an unspecified amount of time to review and make a final decision on the plan.
Background: FERC has regulatory authority over specific hydroelectric projects including Ameren Missouri's Osage Project in central Missouri. By law, FERC is charged with balancing power generation and non-power generation values when issuing hydropower licenses. FERC accomplishes this balancing by giving “equal consideration” to the wide range of public benefits provided by hydroelectric projects.
On July 26, 2011, FERC issued an order to Ameren Missouri approving and modifying our proposed Shoreline Management Plan for Lake of the Ozarks. In that order, FERC raised concerns about encroachments to the Project Boundary. Ameren Missouri reviewed the order and on August 26, 2011, filed a rehearing request on certain provisions related to nonconforming structures and encroachments. FERC responded on November 10, 2011, with a second order. The November order clarified FERC’s previous position and clearly provided a framework for Ameren Missouri to propose a Project Boundary change to be submitted for FERC approval.
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Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than a century, and our electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. We serve 1.2 million electric and 126,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. Our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers 63 counties and 500 towns, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit AmerenMissouri.com.
Contacts: Missouri Communications, Media Hotline 1.314.554.2182, missouricommunications@ameren.com