Nixon punishes Department of Natural Resources for E. coli
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Nixon punishes Department of Natural Resources for E. coli

Date: September 30, 2009
By: Allison Blood
State Capitol Bureau
Links: See the series on Sewage at the Lake

Intro:  Governor Jay Nixon punished the Department of Natural Resources for endangering Missourians. Allison Blood has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Nixon suspended Department of Natural Resources director Mark Templeton for two weeks for relaying false information about beach closings at the lake of the Ozarks.

Nixon said DNR told him beaches were closed due to high E. coli levels on May 18, when in fact they were not closed.

Actuality:  NIXON2.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "This means that the state park beach was open for the Memorial Day weekend when DNR staff should have known, and did know, that unacceptable levels of bacteria were present in the water there."

Nixon called for an investigation of the department and called this incident an utter failure of DNR.

Templeton said it was the fault of the department, but would not comment on his personal feelings about being suspended.

From Jefferson City, this is Allison Blood, KSMU News.

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