CAMDENTON, Mo. | Blue sky, bright sunshine, a warm breeze, ducks on the water and waves lapping at the seawall.
Perfect — this is why people live at Lake of the Ozarks.
So why are the people along Screech Owl Circle mad as hell?
Fighting mad. And scared and worried and not sleeping. They’ve been told that the homes they bought, some with the bulk of retirement savings, and have lived in for years sit on buffer land owned by the utility company that operates Bagnell Dam.
And now a federal agency has ordered those homes to be torn down or removed.
Perfect — this is why people live at Lake of the Ozarks.
So why are the people along Screech Owl Circle mad as hell?
Fighting mad. And scared and worried and not sleeping. They’ve been told that the homes they bought, some with the bulk of retirement savings, and have lived in for years sit on buffer land owned by the utility company that operates Bagnell Dam.
And now a federal agency has ordered those homes to be torn down or removed.
It’s not just the Screech Owl homeowners on the Big Niangua arm.
Over the past 75 years, more than 1,200 homes were built within the utility project boundary, according to Ameren Missouri, which runs the Osage Hydroelectric Project.
Some of these houses have been in families for generations.
Screech Owl homeowner Dale Thompson can’t believe what she’s hearing, that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the ultimate authority at the lake, says the homes have to go.
“We bought these houses, got all the permits, did what we were supposed to do, paid the taxes all these years, and now we’re the ones being threatened,” she said.
Over the past 75 years, more than 1,200 homes were built within the utility project boundary, according to Ameren Missouri, which runs the Osage Hydroelectric Project.
Some of these houses have been in families for generations.
Screech Owl homeowner Dale Thompson can’t believe what she’s hearing, that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the ultimate authority at the lake, says the homes have to go.
“We bought these houses, got all the permits, did what we were supposed to do, paid the taxes all these years, and now we’re the ones being threatened,” she said.
Russell “Sparky” Sharp jumped in. “If they (Ameren) own it, why haven’t they been paying the taxes all these years?”
As pontoon boats puttered by, his wife, Joyce, added: “None of us want to believe that the federal government would let this happen.”
The discovery happened when Ameren filed a new shoreline management plan as part of its license to operate the dam. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that development does not impede hydroelectric operations.
The buffer zone, required for lakes under federal supervision, is for purposes of safety, flood control and protection of natural resources.
Screech Owl residents received letters from Ameren, saying in part:
“While at present we do not plan to take any
As pontoon boats puttered by, his wife, Joyce, added: “None of us want to believe that the federal government would let this happen.”
The discovery happened when Ameren filed a new shoreline management plan as part of its license to operate the dam. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that development does not impede hydroelectric operations.
The buffer zone, required for lakes under federal supervision, is for purposes of safety, flood control and protection of natural resources.
Screech Owl residents received letters from Ameren, saying in part:
“While at present we do not plan to take any
adverse action respecting your residence, we can give you no assurances as to the future,” the letter said.
It’s
unclear why these homeowners got the notices first. But other
affected homeowners will learn soon of the problem and when they do,
who knows what could happen?“In 26 years of practicing law, I’ve never seen
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق