SierraScape October 2016 - February 2017
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Citizens Deserve to Know Air Quality Status
We were disappointed this July when the Environmental Protection Agency decided it did not have enough information to determine if the Ameren Labadie Power Plant exceeds the federal safety limit for sulfur dioxide (SO2). SO2 is a by-product of burning coal. The area in question has been "unclassified" for years. The Sierra Club and others have argued that current monitors are misplaced and inadequate. Since July, St Charles County Council and Pacific City Council have officially asked the EPA to improve monitoring. Good for those cities for speaking up and challenging the EPA to do better. Thanks to the Sierra Club volunteers from those municipalities who helped make this case. All citizens deserve to know the status of the air they breathe.
Endangered Species Depend on Missouri River
Did you know that there are two endangered species, the Pallid Sturgeon and the Least Tern and one threatened species, the Piping Plover, who depend upon the Missouri River for critical habitat? The Army Corps of Engineers has been challenged by the requirements of the Endangered Species Act to determine a management strategy for the river that will not put these species at risk. The Corps is expected to release that plan in December 2016 and it will be open for public comment. The plan is expected to be a complicated document, but Sierra Club volunteers and our allies will help evaluate it and make recommendations. Look for updates on our websites and email.
City Admits Floodplain Has Stormwater Problem
The ill-conceived Maryland Heights Floodplain Development Project has encountered many delays and protests over its tumultuous history. Most recently it has been stalled by the need for a region wide stormwater plan. This sort of goes in the "duh" category, but it's not the first time that something obvious has been overlooked in the controversy over a proposed housing development in low lying 1800 acres along the Missouri River.
This may open up some hope that the project, called Maryland Park Lake District, could be improved. Maryland Heights residents can check the city's website at mplakedistrict.com for updates. And contact Maryland Heights Residents for Responsible Growth at www.marylandheightsresidents.com for a view from concerned citizens.