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Nov. 18, 2002
National, Regional and State Organizations Urge Corps to Prepare Holcim EIS

A broad coalition of seven national and 34 regional and state organizations have written to Congressman Dick Gephardt urging him to request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 4,000-acre cement kiln, limestone quarry and river harbor project proposed by Swiss-owned Holcim (US), Inc. for his district in Ste. Genevieve and Jefferson counties, Missouri. The letter cites the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and states that failure to properly apply the provisions of NEPA and require preparation of an EIS for the Holcim project has potentially far-reaching implications for environmental protection nationwide.

The national and regional groups include American Rivers, Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Defense, Environmental Law & Policy Center of the Midwest, Mississippi River Basin Alliance, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club. The letters supported the requests of four local organizations - American Bottom Conservancy of Illinois, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club and Webster Groves Nature Study Society - that have been asking the Corps for an EIS for the past two years.

Agencies and elected officials have also asked the Corps to prepare an EIS, including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Illinois EPA, Missouri Gov. Bob Holden, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Congressman Lacy Clay, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, the St. Louis County Council and state legislators on both sides of the river. To date, the Corps has pursued a less stringent environmental assessment (EA), which lacks the depth and breadth of data and public participation of an EIS.

“It is hard to fathom why anyone would be against finding out more information that could help protect the health of both the citizens of the area and the existing businesses and industries that could be affected by the enormous amounts of air pollution this plant would emit,” said Kathy Andria, president of American Bottom Conservancy. “We in Illinois live downwind of the proposed plant. All Illinois citizens, industries and public officials should be concerned.”

The cement kiln would be the largest ever in North America and would emit vast quantities of air pollution that could affect the entire St. Louis metropolitan area. The construction and operation of the projects would also destroy critical habitat for fish, migratory birds and other species, and eliminate critically important remaining wetlands along the Middle Mississippi River. Last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources granted Holcim (US), Inc. a 401 water quality permit, an important step in the company’s quest for a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the Corps.

Among organizations requesting an EIS are Prairie Rivers Network (the Illinois NWF affiliate), Iowa Environmental Council, Ohio Environmental Council, New York Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Michigan Environmental Council, Tennessee Environmental Council, Arkansas Wildlife Federation, White River Conservancy (AK), Ohio River Advocacy, Columbia Deepening Opposition Group (OR), Montana Environmental Information Center, Idaho Conservation League, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Gulf Restoration Network, Environmental Advocates of New York, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Wisconsin Environmental Institute, Georgians for Clean Energy, Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation, Mobile Bay Watch, Inc., Mobile Bay Keeper, Alabama Environmental Council, Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters, Conservation Council of North Carolina, Save the Bay, Inc. (RI), Connecticut Fund for the Environment, Environmental Coalition of Mississippi, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Planning and Conservation League of California, and the East St. Louis Community Action Network.


Contacts:
Kathy Andria, American Bottom Conservancy, (618) 271-9605, Ext. 5
Bea Covington, Missouri Coalition for the Environment (314) 727-0600
Carla Klein, Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club, (573) 815-9250
Yvonne Homeyer, Webster Groves Nature Study Society, (314) 863-3321