Couple forced to close business because of lead mine dumping

Katie Love - 

A 30-year old company in southwest Missouri is out of business, because their scuba diving site is being turned into a dumping ground.

Regina Mueller says it isn't easy to say goodbye to a business you've built from the ground up.

"I mean, we're heartbroken to watch it go," says Mueller.

The Muellers closed the doors to Captain John's Sports and Scuba at the beginning of this year.

It's a decision they say wasn't by choice. "They can in and said, this is the way it's going to be and this is what we are going to do.

Either do it or they get an injunction, or start dumping. That's also a sad part," explains John Mueller, former owner of Captain John's Sports and Scuba.

That issue is the 12 acre property called Oronogo Circle, also known as Blue Hole.

The EPA decided it would be the best place to dump 4 million cubic yards of mining waste collected across Jasper County.

It's being filled with contaminated heavy metals like lead and zinc.

"It's really sad and of course, they are taking 90 billion gallons of Alpine Lake quality water and filling it up with chat.

That to me is what's really sad," states Regina.

Full article...

Posted via http://maritime-news.posterous.com Maritime-News posterous