Cerulean Warbler: WGNSS has received a special use permit from the Department of Conservation to expand its Lost Valley Trail Breeding Bird Survey into the area of Weldon Spring C.A. where the logging is taking place. Ceruleans have returned to Lost Valley Trail and Castlewood, the 2 known breeding locations in the St. Louis area. They have also been found at Tyson Research Center and Meramec State Park. Please continue to report any sightings of these birds to Jim Ziebol (314-781-7372). The National Audubon Society, Sierra Club and 24 other organizations petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last fall to have this bird listed as "Threatened". The petition got caught in the self-imposed moratorium declared by the FWS which put all pending petitions on hold for one year.

Proposed Holnam Cement Plant: As a result of efforts by WGNSS and other organizations, Governor Bob Holden has written to the Corps of Engineers and asked that the Corps prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Holnam project. Holnam wants to build the largest cement plant in the United States, and one of the largest in the world, just 31 miles south of St. Louis in Jefferson & Ste. Genevieve Counties. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (Ill.) has made a similar request to the Corps of Engineers (thanks to Kathy Andria, American Bottom Conservancy). State Sen. Wayne Goode and State Rep. Barbara Fraser have also asked the Corps to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (thanks to Margaret Gilleo). The American Lung Association of Eastern Missouri wrote to Gov. Holden expressing concerns about air quality and public health if the Holnam cement plant were built. As a result of the efforts of John Karel, two organizations of which he is a board member have passed resolutions against the proposed Holnam project: the Missouri Parks Association, a statewide group, and Les Amis, a St. Louis-based group which promotes the French cultural heritage of Ste. Genevieve.

Local residents opposed to the Holnam cement plant and quarry are beginning to organize and be heard. Environmental/conservation organizations such as WGNSS, Sierra Club (Mo. and Ill.), American Bottom Conservancy, Coalition for the Environment, MoPIRG, Herpetological Society, St. Louis Audubon Society, and Missouri Audubon continue to work together. Maxine Lipeles of the Environmental Law Clinic of Washington University and her student team have provided invaluable assistance on this project. In the face of all this opposition, Holnam has hired a PR firm and a local consultant in Ste. Genevieve. Meanwhile, Holnam's applications to the Corps for permits under the Clean Water Act and to Mo. DNR for an air permit and a quarry permit remain pending before those two agencies.

Bird Conservation Initiative: Dianne Benjamin, Mark Peters and Yvonne Homeyer attended the April 21 organizational workshop for WGNSS, while former WGNSS president Sue Gustafson represented St. Louis Audubon Society. (Sue is now on their board as Conservation Chairperson). Many organizations and agencies offering diverse viewpoints attended the meeting, which was hosted by Mo. Dept. of Conservation in Jefferson City and co-sponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dianne volunteered to serve on the committee that is planning the next meeting. The Missouri initiative is part of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, which includes Partners in Flight and other national groups.

Email List: Over the summer, I will keep people updated by email on developments related to Holnam and any other major issue that may arise. If you are not currently receiving emails from me and would like to be added to my list, please email me at homeyer@earthlink.net and I will put you on my distribution list.

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