Attorney General's News Release

May 4, 2006

Nixon sues Stone County subdivision developer to protect water quality at Table Rock Lake from erosion

Galena, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon is suing the developer of the Tuscany Village subdivision in Stone County to stop sediment from eroding directly into Table Rock Lake. Nixon says the developer, Jedi Corp. and its president, Charles Bonnot, have ignored environmental laws and requirements to obtain necessary permits and implement adequate controls to prevent erosion.

“Table Rock Lake is one of the premier tourist destinations of southwest Missouri, and the people who live here recognize that protecting the quality of its water is a high priority,” Nixon says. “This developer has ignored the regulations that other developers follow, and the result has been sediment entering the lake. We're suing to stop this flagrant disregard of the law and of the need to preserve high water quality in the White River basin.”

The 40-acre Tuscany Village subdivision is located north of Kimberling City on Joe Bald Road. A June 2004 inspection by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources discovered that Jedi Corp. had disturbed more than 15 acres without obtaining the necessary permit from the state and that effective erosion controls were not in place to keep sediment from the site from entering the West Fisher Creek cove of Table Rock Lake. Subsequent inspections showed that attempts to control erosion by Jedi Corp. have been inadequate.

The lawsuit asks the Stone County Circuit Court to issue an injunction against the defendants to require them to submit a complete application for the appropriate permit and to prohibit them from further violations of the Missouri Clean Water Law. The lawsuit also seeks appropriate penalties and court costs from the defendants.

Nixon says the legal action against Jedi Corp. and Bonnot is part of his ongoing “zero tolerance initiative” against polluters in the White River basin. The Attorney General has brought several successful legal actions to protect water quality in the numerous lakes, rivers and streams in southwest Missouri's White River basin since announcing the initiative in December 2002, including action to stop pollution from improperly treated sewage, runoff from developments, leaking underground storage tanks, and improperly drilled water wells.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

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