With the changing political scene, the League continues to focus attention on the regional, state, county, and local level of governments. Dealing with climate impacts is important especially in the current political arena. The Environmental Quality and Climate Committee (EQC2) studies and acts on environmental issues related to land, air, water, energy, waste, climate change, sustainability, agriculture, and biodiversity. Environmental quality is everyone’s concern.

The committee meets quarterly the first Saturday of February, May, August, and November at 1 pm and conducts business and activities between meetings via email and phone. All League members are welcome to join the committee, which has 24 active members and a mailing list of 58 others who want to be kept informed and who will engage in small tasks.

EQC2 keeps informed about current events, policy issues, and local initiatives that affect our community and regional environment and climate. With cuts to the US EPA and lack of public representation on the numerous Missouri regulatory commissions and boards, we need to ask questions, express our opinions, engage with elected officials, and participate in public forums to ensure that our voices are heard. Speaking up can protect the health and safety of our communities. The Environmental Quality and Climate Change Committee has continued to advocate, educate, and engage our members and the entire region on the impacts of climate change and possible mitigation measures.

Partnerships with Other League Levels and Outside Organizations 

The committee utilizes League networks and connections to expand our capacity and opportunities for action, advocacy and education on environmental and climate topics. to combat impacts of climate change on a regional level.

For example, EQC2 participates in the LWV US Climate Interest Group. It keeps the committee informed about environmental advocacy in other regions and states. The LWVUS Climate Interest Group posts PowerPoints, articles, and information on climate change, and how to combat its impacts including links to educational webinars. The committee seeks permission from LWVUS to submit testimony on environmental regulations for the metro region.

The committee is our local League’s liaison to the LWV Inter League Organization (ILO) of the Upper Mississippi River Region (UMRR), which includes LWV of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.  Membership in this ILO expands the ability to work collaboratively to maintain the health of the greater Mississippi River basin, combat climate change and provide educational resources and tools.

UMRR has an extensive network with numerous environmental groups whose focus is the Mississippi River and its river basins. St. Louis is in the Deer Creek watershed within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, which includes the Missouri, Des Peres, Meramec, and Illinois Rivers. The karst topography found in St. Louis area contributes to flooding and sinkholes, and it provides pathways for pollution (environmental, chemical, nutrient, stormwater runoff) migration to contaminate water sources, including groundwater, wells, rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and ponds.

EQC2 also meets up with LWV of Missouri and other local leagues of Missouri at conferences and conventions. Information, call to action, educational opportunities and events are shared using electronic communication throughout the year.

EQC2 networks with many environmental and climate organizations of our region including Sierra Club, Missouri Clean Energy Coalition, Metropolitan Congregations United, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Park Boards, Conservation Federation of Missouri, Stream Teams, Great Rivers Environmental law Center, Missouri River Bird observatory, Audubon Riverlands in Alton, American Lung Association, Missouri Parks Association, and Operation Food Search to promote environment projects, education opportunities, and expand outreach.

Monitoring and Advocacy

EQC2 monitors and tracks Missouri Legislature using both the LWV Kansas City Legislative tracking Group, Missouri Legislature Bulletin and information from the committee’s network of Missouri environmental groups. Updated Legislative Tracking information is shared with League members and program committees. For the Missouri Legislature’s 2025 Session, action alerts regarding utilities, pesticides, corporate capture (which refers to corporate efforts to undermine or remove environmental regulations), and the Missouri Clean Water Commission were issued.

EQC2 also monitors county and municipal governments, schools, universities, and neighborhood associations looking for additional opportunities to advocate and educate on climate change. For example, committee members attended the Jeff-Vander-Lou Neighborhood Association meeting in December and presented information on both the Ameren rate increase proposal and City initiatives related to lead remediation in water.

The committee monitors regulatory agencies such as the US EPA and Missouri Department Natural Resource (MNR), Missouri Public Service Commission, Missouri Clean Water Commission and the Missouri Clean Air Commission. In the past year they have presented testimony to US EPA Region 7 regarding Westlake radiation contamination, to Missouri Department of Natural Resources opposing a water permit for two large Concentrated Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs), to the Public Service Commission opposing Ameren’s requests to build a methanol plant and to raise rates, as well as opposing an American Water rate increase.

In addition, the committee works to expand the environmental content on LWVSTL’s social media and used the member newsletter to convey articles and environmental tips. They participated in the Earth Day festival and have engaged in several other activities to inform members and encourage people to be informed voters.

League members may join the committee at any time by contacting chairperson Mickey Croyle at the email address below.