Missouri appeals court reinstates smelter lawsuit

CRYSTAL CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri appellate court says a group worried about development of a pig-iron ore smelter near St. Louis can move forward with their lawsuit against the city.

The Great Rivers Environmental Law Center sued on behalf of the Concerned Citizens for Crystal City in 2007 in Jefferson County, alleging the city violated the open records law and other statutes.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a judge threw out the case, ruling that the plaintiffs did not respond to discovery requests seeking identities of people who left 4,000 anonymous messages on a Concerned Citizens online forum.

But this week, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled that the trial court abused its discretion in dismissing the case. The case now goes back to Jefferson County.

Concerned Citizens seek to void a contract and lease made by city officials to allow for the smelter's development.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, www.stltoday.com