2. Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community Government agencies will be doing something in this county soon, based on the recent ASARCO settlement: Make decisions about how lead (metals) will be removed or managed (i.e. - where/how) Plan/Implement Construction Projects Suggest/Implement New Regulations and/or Restrictions on Use of Floodplain Resources Address lead-health issues inside/out of floodplain

3. Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community Agencies have asked for Community Input Questions & Concerns Outcomes & Objectives Local knowledge; Current & Historical Perspectives Etc.

4. Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community Local Impacts to be considered: –Environment: How we deal with contaminants? –Natural Resources: How do we repair damages? –Economics How do the construction projects affect local: Jobs/contracts? New/existing recreational amenities? Commercial operations on River/Floodplain? Agriculture? –Public Health: How to protect our citizens?

6. Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community Developing a Road Map for Long Term Management of the Watershed  Multiple Administrations ◦ Political ◦ Bureaucratic  Multiple Agency Interests  Multiple Funding Sources/Opportunities

7. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? U.S. EPA Superfund Actions throughout Old Leadbelt Six Superfund Designations in St. Francois County Successful suit against PRP (Potentially Responsible Party) “ASARCO” - the American Smelting & Refining Company Significant financial resources awarded in suit for clean- up and repair of natural resource damages throughout nation $100 MM awarded to MO $10’s MM designated for use in Old Lead Belt Trustees: U.S. EPA; U.S. Fish/Wildlife; MO DNR

8. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here?  St. Francois County Big River Watershed Group ◦ Formed by MO DNR to address lead load in Big River ◦ Met for several years to address watershed issues  Including Active Stream Team ◦ Helped inform and engage County Commission in Watershed Discussion with the agencies.

9. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? –Commission/Agencies discussed path forward –Contemplated notion of multi-county initiative –Washington, Jefferson & St. Francois County Commissions/Council formed collaborative –Collaborative applied to EPA for funding –Superfund Cooperative Agreement Executed to develop “Master Plan” –Collaborative Issued RFQ for/hired consultant

10. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here?  Consultant – URS Corporation, St. Louis ◦ Accomplished in Regional Collaborations ◦ Previous Involvement in SEMO-specific Initiatives ◦ Project Manager is a St. Francois County resident ◦ Hired in December, 2010 by Counties  Scope of Work: ◦ Create and support local Watershed Groups ◦ Facilitate meaningful/thoughtful communications ◦ Create Master Plan

11. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here?  URS met with Officials from each County  URS met with each agency – multiple programs  URS worked with each County to secure local leadership/participation for Watershed Groups  URS created a draft Master Plan Outline  Local Group Leaders provided for Watershed Group meeting logistics, outreach and facilitation (tonight)

12. Big River Master Planning Process What are we going to do?  Create a communications network for the group ◦ You don’t have to be present at meetings to be informed or provide input – Subcommittees may also be contemplated  Review Master Plan Outline (tonight)  Populate, refine and complete the Master Plan  Continuously share input/insights with ◦ Local citizenry, advocacy organizations, industry associations ◦ Elective officials ◦ Agency representatives & officials ◦ Media

13. Big River Master Planning Process Draft Master Plan Outline 1.Executive Summary 2.Watershed Planning – General Issues 3.Big River Watershed Issues – regulatory, statutory & legal status 4.Big River Watershed – Defined 5.Stakeholder Objectives 6.Institutional Participation 7.Information/Data Summary 8.Information/Data Gap Summary (fluid) 9.Master Planning Process Defined/Memorialized 10.Assimilation of Plans 11.Plan & Implementation Schedules 12.Monitoring/Oversight Summaries, Follow-up, Etc.

14. 4.Big River Watershed - Defined ◦ Big River & its Tributaries  Physical attributes  Historical, current and anticipated future use  Known & suspected deterioration ◦ Watershed Characterization  Legacy of Mining  Known challenges  Unknown challenges – material carried off site  Other Land Use Issues - downstream  Impacts yet to be determined  319 Program Assistance

15. 4. Big River Watershed – Defined (Cont’d) Jurisdictions Counties Communities Legislative & Congressional Districts Local, state and federal agencies Soil & Water Conservation Districts Waste Water Treatment/Utility Districts Etc.

16. 4. Big River Watershed – Defined (Cont’d) ◦ Stakeholders & Partners  Inhabitants (citizens) of the watershed  County residents  Transient users of the watershed (tourists, sportsman, etc.)  Environmental & Conservation Advocates  Public Health Advocates  Economic Interests  Community/Region Economic Development Organizations  Business Associations and individual commercial operators  Agricultural Associations and farmers  Labor Unions/collaboratives  Jurisdictional Interests  Other…..

17. 5. Stakeholder Objectives, Perspectives, Etc.? ◦ Healthy river/tributary/watershed eco- system  Mitigate known threat to populations in Big & Meramec Rivers (Mussels, etc.) ◦ Healthy human population  Mitigate threats to citizens from heavy metal concentrations in materials in-stream as well as materials removed from the watershed (soil/gravel/etc.).

18. 5. Stakeholder Objectives, Perspectives, Etc.? (Cont’d) ◦ Healthy regional community/economy  Increased utility of water resources for recreation  Maximum benefit from plan implementation (planned construction)  Local contractors & labor used on construction projects  Leverage planned construction to support new infrastructure and/or amenities in/about watershed  Commercial Exploitation of Floodplain ◦ Satisfaction of all known regulatory requirements ◦ Creation of new and/or necessary statutory/regulatory controls in support of the Watershed

19. Contact Information Mike Alesandrini Senior Consultant URS Corporation mike_alesandrini@urscorp.commike_alesandrini@urscorp.com* 314-753-2416 *Underscore between mike_alesandrini, above