ST. LOUIS -- A week after a reservoir break in Southeast Missouri, Gov. Matt Blunt on Thursday directed the use of emergency funds to cover the state's interim costs to restore and stabilize the area until the state can be reimbursed by AmerenUE.

The state Department of Natural Resources is incurring personnel and other costs as it oversees the restoration and stabilization of Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and other areas affected by the breach of AmerenUE's hydroelectric plant reservoir last week, said Jessica Robinson, a spokeswoman for Blunt.

Blunt has made it clear he expects AmerenUE to bear the costs of restoring the area, and the St. Louis utility has committed to the cleanup. But until a mechanism is in place for Ameren to reimburse the state for its costs, the DNR should use its emergency funds, Blunt said.

"Using state funds avoids potential delays in recovery efforts at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and the Black River while we determine how AmerenUE will cover the costs," Blunt said. "I will continue to do everything possible to facilitate the restoration. Cleanup and recovery efforts should not be delayed because of financial procedures."

Blunt on Wednesday directed DNR to issue a second order to the utility, telling it to take additional steps to address sediment and debris removal near the Taum Sauk reservoir failure.

The state is working to guarantee the environmental integrity of the Black River and Johnson's Shut-Ins. The park was devastated by a torrent of more than a billion gallons of water when a section of wall around the reservoir ruptured on Dec. 14.

The reservoir was part of the Taum Sauk Lake hydroelectric plant, operated by AmerenUE. Ameren officials said the rupture likely happened after automatic pumps failed to turn off at night and a wall collapsed.

Missouri has no regulatory oversight of the reservoir, which is governed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, Blunt and state agencies remain involved in recovery efforts.