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Task force hears about lead importance, history as Nixon’s decision on HB 650 looms

ST. LOUIS — A task force spearheaded by Sen. Gary Romine, R-St. Francois County, met Wednesday afternoon to discuss the history of lead production in Missouri as well as its importance.

With about 72 hours until Gov. Jay Nixon has to decide on the controversial bill before it automatically becomes law, House Bill 650, which seeks to cap punitive damages for Missouri’s lead-producing corporation, Doe Run Company, Romine’s task force — which included Democrat and Republican legislators from the Jefferson and St. Francois County areas — listened to a presentation from Doe Run’s President of Law, Matt Wohl, Wednesday before having a panel discussion about production, Doe Run and HB 650.

Sen. Gary Romine
Sen. Gary Romine

Among the legislators at the meeting were Rep. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Jefferson County and Rep. TJ McKenna, D-Festus, as well as Assistant Attorney General Jack McManus and Jack Santis from the governor’s office.

“We wanted to emphasize to the public as much as possible the situation that the lead industry is in,” Romine told The Missouri Times, adding that he thinks while “it’s been painted as a Doe Run issue,” it’s really an industry issue as a whole because the company is one of the last producers of lead in the country. “We don’t want to be dependent upon foreign countries for our lead resource. If House Bill 650 isn’t signed, it could bankrupt one of the last and only producers of lead in the country, Doe Run.”

Romine said it’s his (and the other legislators on his committee’s) belief that Doe Run is doing the remediation required by Federal and state agencies and that punitive damages should only be “used to punish bad players,” which he doesn’t consider Doe Run to be.

Rep. McKenna echoed Romine, adding that one of his concerns is the inevitable loss of jobs from people within his district and St. Francois County who work for the company.

The future of the task force is unknown as the fate of HB 650 is still in limbo from the governor, Romine said. If Nixon vetoes the bill, Romine said the plan is to go forward with an override. In the Senate he’s confident the vote is secure, and while the House might be a little more difficult, Romine said he thinks there’s enough support for the Doe Run language specifically on that bill to be able to override it if that particular portion is what Nixon vetoes.

Many are saying Nixon is in an interesting position with HB 650 as Jefferson County is where his hometown, DeSoto, is located.

During a press conference Wednesday for a different bill signing in Springfield, Mo., Springfield News-Leader reporter Jonathan Shorman tweeted that he asked about the future of the bill, prompting Nixon to ask which bill HB 650 was before “evading” the question.

https://twitter.com/jshormanNL/statuses/354997249530535936

The key opposition to the Doe Run language during session was the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, which Romine said wasn’t present at the task force hearing Wednesday. MATA representatives couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday night before publication, but for more information about the past opposition and discussion, check out: MATA, Doe Run clash on punitive damages issue.