An existing dam or reservoir which the chief engineer determines to be abandoned and considered to be a threat to public safety, life, or property may be altered, repaired, or removed upon such determination at the expense of the state of Missouri, and the chief engineer may request either the attorney general or a prosecuting attorney to bring an action in the name of the people of the state of Missouri to recover such expenses from the owner through appropriate legal processes. Such action may be brought in any county where the defendant or defendant’s principal place of business is located or where the dam or reservoir is located.