By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri lead producer will pay $65 million to clean up lead waste at several sites in southeast Missouri.
The regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday that suburban St. Louis-based Doe Run Resources also will pay a $7 million fine for environmental violations at 10 of its lead facilities in southeast Missouri.
The EPA said Doe Run will also close its lead smelter in Herculaneum by Dec. 31, 2013.
The EPA has cited the company over the years for air emissions, elevated blood lead levels in children, elevated lead levels in yards and lead dust in homes. Doe Run has bought out 130 residential properties near the Herculaneum smelter since 2002.