Environment
Federal Judge Orders Ameren To Install Air Pollution Controls At Two Power Plants
September 30, 2019
Ameren must install devices to remove harmful air pollutants at it’s plants in Festus and Labadie, thanks to a ruling from a federal judge on Monday, September 30. At the Women’s Voices April program, John Hickey, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Missouri cited research affirming that air pollution, primarily from coal-fired power plants, contributes to global warming and is a public health threat. Read more about the judge’s ruling here.
EPA approves plan to remove nuclear waste from West Lake Landfill after years of complaints
September 27, 2018
The chosen solution will remove about 70 percent of the site’s radioactivity and dispose of the waste at an out-of-state facility…The EPA will spend the next year and a half determining how to clean up the site, how to keep workers and the community safe, and exactly where the waste will go. During that time, agency officials will decide where to send 75,000 cubic yards of contamination and how exactly workers will be protected during excavation. Learn more
To learn more about Westlake Landfill, watch the HBO.com documentary, “Atomic Homefront.”
Clean Energy
Women’s Voices is a supporter of the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition whose mission is to grow our clean and renewable energy economy to reduce fossil fuel pollution, address climate change and create jobs.
Clean Air Missouri is a campaign of the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition (MCEC), which is a statewide coalition of stakeholders including elected officials, faith organizations, clean energy businesses, academic institutions, and environmental organizations who care about securing Missouri’s energy future, strengthening our economy and creating a healthy environment for all Missourians.
We are committed to ensuring the state develops a comprehensive, clean energy plan that will reduce carbon pollution, build a strong economy with quality jobs, create healthy air and secure an independent energy future for our state.
Member organizations and supporters include representatives from public health organizations, environmental groups, clean energy businesses, faith communities, academic institutions and elected officials.
MCEC members are organizations that designate a contact person to join the coalition’s coordinating committee, which include:
- Missouri Interfaith Power and Light
- Union of Concerned Scientists
- Earthdance Farms
- Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice
- Organizing for Action – Missouri
- Sierra Club
- Jewish Environmental Initiative; a committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
- Populists in Action
- 350KC
- Renew Missouri
- Ethical Society of St. Louis
- Central Reform Congregation
- Missouri Coalition for the Environment
- Mid-Missouri Peaceworks/Missourians for Safe Energy
- Labadie Environmental Organization
- Diesel Health Project
- Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community
Public Transportation
Members of Women’s Voices believe that public transportation is an issue that involves social justice, economic justice, and environmental concerns. A comprehensive, responsive and robust system of public transportation is a necessity for citizens throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Individuals depend on public transportation to get to jobs, medical appointments and entertainment venues. Businesses depend on public transportation to get workers to their jobs. The elderly and disabled depend on public transportation to meet many of their needs. Lack of efficient public transportation is also an environmental issue. More cars on more roads leads to greater fuel consumption and more greenhouse gas emissions, which results in additional air pollution and contributes to global warming.
On April 6, 2010, residents of St. Louis County voted to approve a ballot measure authorizing a half cent sales tax increase to provide operating funds for MetroBus, MetroLink and Call-A-Ride services. Women’s Voices endorsed this measure. However, we believe that sales taxes, in general, are regressive and disproportionately affect low and moderate-income individuals. Although we endorsed the tax increase, we also called upon Metro and local, regional and state officials to investigate alternate methods of providing long-term, sustainable support for public transportation in Missouri.
Public Water Supply
In the Spring of 2013 St. Louis City officials began to explore the possibility of an agreement with Veolia Environment, a multi-national French corporation, to take over some operations of the St. Louis City Water Department. Women’s Voices, along with the the Missouri Coalition for the Environment and other groups, opposed this proposal. Veolia has a dismal track record after being involved in water operations in other cities. In Oct. 2013, after facing intense opposition, Veolia took itself out of consideration for the contract. We believe that we must always be on guard against attempts to privatize a city’s water supply or operations.
Renewable Energy Standards
In February 2013 Women’s Voices signed a resolution in support of full implementation of Missouri’s Renewable Energy Standards. In 2008, voters passed the Renewable Energy Standards Act, which required utility companies to supply two percent of energy they sell to Missouri customers from renewable energy sources starting in 2011. That percentage gradually increased to five per cent by 2014, 10 per cent by 2018 and 15 per cent by 2021.