HOLNAM UPDATE: The Environmental Law Clinic of Washington University did a tremendous job at the hearing before the Clean Water Commission in Jefferson City on Nov. 14 and 15. Acting on behalf of the 4 client groups (WGNSS, Coalition, Ozark Chapter of Sierra Club and American Bottom Conservancy), the Clinic put on evidence to support our appeal challenging DNR's issuance of a 401 certification to Holnam. The DNR has classified the Mississippi River as "impaired" due to habitat loss. Holnam proposes to construct a harbor out of the Lee Island floodplain lying below the bluffs. One of the witnesses was Dr. Robert Sheehan, SIU-Carbondale, who testified that an endangered fish species, the Pallid Sturgeon, has been located in the Mississippi River along the Holnam portion of the river. (Two other endangered species, Indiana Bat and Gray Bat, have been located on the property.) Dr. Biswas of Washington University testified that when coal is burned, mercury is emitted into the air, and airborne mercury can and does fall onto bodies of water where it becomes methylmercury. (Holnam plans to burn coal at its proposed cement plant.) An official from the Mo. Dept. of Health testified about Missouri's fish advisory for certain species of fish due to mercury contamination. The Clean Water Commission may make a decision at their next meeting on January 9. If anyone is interested in going, contact Yvonne Homeyer.

If you haven't had a chance to visit the Coalition for the Environment's web site, you can find it at: www.stopholnam.com. The Coalition is also running a media campaign using radio ads, Bi-State bus signs, and a billboard at I-270 & 55.

Jack Harris and the Botany Group have surveyed property belonging to an adjacent landowner and WGNSS member, Karen Holden. To date, they have found 278 species of vascular plants, of which 94% (262 species) are native. The Holdens live in Morrison Hollow, just south of Wolf Hollow, which is part of the Holnam site. In the mid 1970s, John Karel surveyed Wolf Hollow and recommended that it be designated as a Natural Area. Unfortunately, that never took place and Holnam now intends to include Wolf Hollow in its proposed quarry.

So far, Governor Bob Holden of Missouri, Gov. George Ryan of Illinois, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, Congressman Lacy Clay of Missouri, Mayor Francis Slay of the City of St. Louis, the St. Louis County Council, and other elected officials in Missouri and Illinois have requested that the Corps conduct an Environmental Impact Statement. These requests come on top of recommendations by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Mo. Dept. of Conservation to deny the permit. The Corps of Engineers may be making its decision on Holnam's application for a 404 permit in January of February. We will keep you updated.

EQUILON PIPELINE/CARLYLE LAKE: We are continuing our dialogue with Equilon concerning their pipeline project which will go through part of the Wildlife Management Area of Carlyle Lake (near Parking Lot #3).

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