(AP) – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources plans to give $575,000 originally earmarked for two new state parks back to the federal government.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that the money intended for Jay Nixon State Park and Eleven Point State Park is now going back to the U.S. Department of Interior.
Representatives with the Missouri Sierra Club are questioning why the state agency would return the money when Missouri State Parks is already struggling to find funding for maintenance projects.
The money comes from a nearly $1.8 billion lead mine bankruptcy and cleanup settlement involving 11 states, including Missouri. Part of Missouri’s settlement went toward buying the two parks.
A DNR spokeswoman says the department believes the money should be used to more directly clean up Missouri’s lead mine sites.
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