"These people did not move in here with a warning that this is what they were buying," said Ed Smith, safe energy director for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. "They moved in there with the thought that this was going to be the American dream and it's turned out to be an American nightmare."

No one spoke against Chappelle-Nadal's bill, though there was some discussion about its estimated cost. Chappelle-Nadal said that buying homes within three miles of Coldwater Creek is a starting point, subject to negotiation.

On one extreme, if the state bought the more than 63,000 homes within three miles of Coldwater Creek, it would cost the state an estimated $7 billion.

On the other extreme, if all of the 91 homeowners within a mile of the West Lake Landfill wanted a buyout, it would cost the state about $11 million.

Chappelle-Nadal said federal resources could be made available if a state of emergency were declared.

Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton, compared buying out the 91 homes near the West Lake Landfill to a buyout program during Lambert Airport's expansion.

"We've done something much larger than this before — collectively, not just state government," he said. "We've done something much larger than this for a tarmac."