Final results of the 18th Annual Fall Shoreline Cleanup at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks have been tallied, and they show AmerenUE’s ban on non-encapsulated foam flotation material is having an effect in reducing the amount of this material that is getting into the lake.
“Many adopting groups reported that their areas were surprisingly clean compared to years past, and that they have started to see the benefits of the ban on non-encapsulated foam flotation that became effective Jan. 1, 2008,” says UE’s Shoreline Management Field Coordinator Bryan Vance.
Vance says 168 volunteers from 12 Adopt-the-Shoreline member groups removed 447 cubic yards of material from more than 70 miles of shoreline. The debris collected weighed over 33 tons.
Volunteers reported most of the debris collected during the cleanup still consisted of foam flotation material—which has been the number one source of manmade debris in the lake for many years—but the volume of foam debris was significantly less than in past years. The 2009 fall cleanups began in October and continued through November.
UE, which sponsors Adopt-the-Shoreline, provides administrative support, provides trash bags, and pays for disposal, but the actual cleanup work is performed entirely by volunteers. In addition, numerous local organizations and individuals donated boats and other equipment the volunteers needed to make the event a success.
“UE reaffirms its commitment to Adopt-the-Shoreline and the annual spring and fall cleanups, and we wish to thank the hard-working volunteers and others in the lake community for their strong and consistent support year after year,” Vance says. “These efforts are clearly having a very positive impact on the lake’s environment.”
For information on the adopting shoreline, or the upcoming 2010 Spring Cleanup, call 573-365-9252.
AmerenUE, founded in 1902, provides electric and gas service to approximately 1.2 million customers across central and eastern Missouri, including the greater St. Louis area. UE serves 57 Missouri counties and 500 towns. The company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. For more information, visit www.ameren.com.
# # #
Contact: Mike Cleary 573-681-7137, Bryan Vance 573-365-9252