Ameren shareholders have voted against three proposals that sought to push the company to do more to address environmental risks from its coal-fired power plants.
One of the shareholder proposals focused on the risks of coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal combustion. Its proponents want Ameren to monitor for groundwater contamination near its coal ash ponds in Missouri - as the company already does in Illinois. Ameren Vice President of Environmental Services, Mike Menne, says that's in the works. "We are in the process of putting together new permits with the Missouri State Department of Natural Resources that will require groundwater monitoring at all of our Missouri plants in the near future," Menne said.
Menne says Ameren has done some limited groundwater testing near drinking water wells in the vicinity of its power plant in Labadie, Missouri. He says those results will be released soon.