St. Louis, Mo – Showing his brazen disregard for the environmental welfare of St. Louis, Francis Slay reported accepting two $5,000.00 contributions on February 9[1] from Holcim, Inc., a Swiss-based company set to open the world’s largest cement plant[2] in Ste. Genevieve later this year.
The plant, opposed by the American Bottom Conservancy, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial Page, negatively impacts endangered species habitats and will increase ozone pollution in St. Louis City after its completion by emitting 20 tons of nitrogen oxides a day in addition to dangerous sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and coarse particulate matter.[3]
After previously citing the project’s potential to harm St. Louisans with asthma[4], the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2004 editorialized that the Holcim plant was “…a costly mistake” and “…a bad deal for Missouri.”[5] St. Louis has been cited as the worst place for asthma suffers to live.[8]
Holcim’s poor corporate citizenship extends beyond its record of environmental degradation and includes broken promises to its employees and to other Missouri communities. Following its refusal in 2002 to pay $700,000 in school taxes to Pike County[6], Holcim assured local officials that it would continue operations at its cement plant near Clarksville.
In November 2008, however, Holcim announced that it will close its Clarksville plant by April 2009[7], eliminating 181 jobs and the Pike County R-III School District’s largest taxpayer.
St. Louis needs a Mayor who will stand up to polluters, protect the health of our residents, and hold corporations accountable. That Mayor is Irene J. Smith. Vote Irene on March 3, 2009 and help to make St. Louis, A City for All.
[1] Slay for Mayor, Report of Contribution Received Over $5,000.00, Missouri Ethics Commission, February 9, 2009. [2] http://www.investindk.com/visNyhed.asp?artikelID=14804 [3]Hudson, Repps. “How will this land be affected? Holcim Inc. plans to build a cement plant that will be the biggest in the nation.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 27, 2007; Allen, William and Terry Ganey. “PROPOSED CEMENT PLANT IS STIRRING UP OZONE FEARS.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002. [4]“Cementheads [Editorial].” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 29, 2002. [5] “Clear the Air [Editorial].” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 30, 2004. [6]Ganey, Terry. “CEMENT COMPANY’S TAX CUT VICTORY SPELLS BIG LOSS FOR PIKE COUNTY SCHOOLS; HOLCIM’S "FAIR SHARE" IS DEBATED.” St. Lous Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2002.
[7]Boyce, Christopher. “Holcim will close plant in Clarksville in early ’09.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 13, 2008.
[8]Bernhard, Blythe. “St. Louis is the worst place for people with asthma.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 28 , 2009. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/660780E9C080A1F98625754C00110523?OpenDocument ###