Golf courses? …pesticide run-off. Parking lots? …impervious surfaces and oil run-off. Shopping centers? …impedes flood water, raises insurance costs or tax-payer bail-outs. Casinos? …the same, plus lights disorient migrating fowl and other wildlife.
All these uses have been proposed for the floodplain – even the floodway – of the Mississippi River just below the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
When casinos first came to Missouri, they were allowed only on boats in our major rivers. This didn’t do too much environmental harm. Then they were forced inside of moats. Moats restrict flood waters, thus raising flood levels. Then casinos were allowed to crawl up the bank and totally camouflage the fact that water was running in pipes beneath a piece of barge bottom concealed underground. Some of them were now practically out of the floodplain – yeah!!! –, but still within a thousand feet of the river.
Missouri currently has one more casino license to hand out. The Gaming Commission may choose not to hand it to anyone. If you want to keep additional casinos out of floodplains, let us know. We’ve got some ideas, and we’d like to hear yours. Contact our chapter office, Missouri.chapter@sierraclub.org, or 314-644-1011 or 800-628-5333. Thank you!