A Majority of Ameren Shareholders Support Request for Report on Coal Ash Contamination Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cyrus Nemati, (510) 735-8157, cnemati@asyousow.org

Peoria, Illinois – May 3, 2018 – A shareholder resolution on coal ash risk filed at Ameren by corporate responsibility group School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province (Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment) along with co-filers As You Sow and Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston received the support of a majority of Ameren shareholders. This vote highlights growing shareholder concern about the risks created by the toxic coal ash residuals Ameren creates when it burns coal to generate electricity. In recent years, this resolution has gained ever-increasing shareholder support, earning the first clear majority this year.

“This momentous majority vote clarifies that shareholders want action from Ameren on coal ash and its risks to water and public health,” said Lila Holzman, Energy Program Manager at As You Sow. “As the broader power sector moves from coal to renewables, there is less tolerance for unnecessary risk.  Companies like Ameren must be held accountable for the harmful impacts of their coal operations.”

“States all over the USA are facing this new risk of closing coal ash ponds….and it is imperative that we don’t have ponds or landfills next to rivers where leaks can occur for years to come….arsenic, mercury, boron at high levels are not good for the environment or people. Other utilities are digging up their ash and moving it to less risky, lined landfills.”  Sr. Barbara Jennings, CSJ, Director of Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment.

###

As You Sow is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy, coalition building, and innovative legal strategies. See our resolutions here.