HOLNAM UPDATE: URGENT: YOUR LETTERS ARE NEEDED BY FEB. 28. Holcim (the new name adopted by Holnam) has re-applied to the Land Reclamation Division of DNR for a permit to conduct open-pit limestone mining on 1,600 acres, including the pristine Wolf Hollow and Raddy Hollow. The proposed quarry site is made up of rugged, wooded upland terrain where the Indiana Bat, an endangered species, has been found. Salamanders abound, indicating that this is undisturbed, rich habitat. A public comment period closes on Feb. 28 (receipt, not postmark). At the end of this newsletter is a sample letter which you can remove and send in. Please indicate your concerns. If you wish to add individualized comments, you may do so at the bottom or on the back of the letter. You can fax your letter to (573) 751-0534. (Mailing address is included in the attached letter.) If you would like more information, please call Yvonne. The quarry issue will be on the agenda of the Land Reclamation Commission on March 14 in Jefferson City. It is open to the public.

The Hearing Officer appointed by the Clean Water Commission to hear WGNSS's appeal of the 401 certification has recommended to the Commission that the 401 certification should be withdrawn (overturned). Our appeal resulted in a two day trial in November, at which we were ably represented by two student attorneys, Gil Hopenstand and Anthony Jackson, and Maxine Lipeles of the Environmental Law Clinic of Washington University. The Corps of Engineers has still not ruled on Holcim's application for a 404 permit. Unless Holcim has both a 404 permit and 401 certification, it cannot begin destroying the Lee Island wetlands and floodplain to dig out the proposed harbor. The CWC will discuss this issue at its February 13 meeting. We will keep you posted of their ruling.

MARK TWAIN NAT'L. FOREST MEETING IN ST. LOUIS: On February 5, lots of conservation-minded people spoke out at a public meeting sponsored by the Forest Service to discuss the Mark Twain National Forest. WGNSS members Sue Gustafson, Jack Harris, Margaret Gilleo, Wilma Kennell and Yvonne Homeyer attended. Representatives of the Coalition for the Environment, Sierra Club, and Missouri Heartwood also came. Issues raised included a land swap in which the Forest Service gave 10,000 acres of MTNF land to Fort Leonard Wood in exchange for 2,000 acres, the negative impact of forest fragmentation on songbirds, Doe Run's lead mining and exploratory drilling, and the red oak borer problem. Because the current Forest Plan has expired, a process to revise the Forest Plan will begin sometime this year.

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