In April, 2024, we reported to the League's all-member annual meeting that the Metro St. Louis League's Environmental Quality and Climate Change (EQC3) Committee studies and acts on environmental issues including land, air, water, energy, waste, sustainability, biodiversity, foods, soils and agriculture, renewable energy, electrification, forests and wildfires, health, climate justice, oceans, recycling, plastic pollution, and climate change using League positions.

League program and positions guides EQC3’s education LWV members on issues and addresses environmental justice issues using In League Reporter articles and environmental tips. EQC3 provides testimony to regulatory agencies (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Missouri Public Service Commission (MO PSC), Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MO DNR), Missouri Water Commission).

The committee monitors and advocates for sustainability and environmental issues at the national, state, and local government level. We work with our coalition partner, Missouri Clean Energy Coalition (MCEC). Coalition members include Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Audubon Society and the Missouri River Bird Observatory, Renew Missouri, Sierra Club Beyond Coal, Open Space Council, Missouri Parks Association, Conservation Federation of Missouri, Empower Missouri, The Nature Conservancy, Environment Missouri, Climate Reality, 350stl.org, Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club, Ozark Society, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Socially Responsible Agriculture Program (SRAP), Indy Energy, Stream Teams United, Open Space Council, and Metropolitan Congregation United (MCU) to monitor legislation, regulatory agencies, and pending rule changes. LWV Metro STL is a member of the LWV Interleague Organization Upper Mississippi River Region (LWV ILO UMRR) which includes LWV of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. The League has a delegate on the Rate Commission of the Metropolitan St Louis Sewer District.

The EQC3 meets quarterly the first Saturday of the month (August, November, February, and May) at 1 pm and conducts business and activities between meetings via email and phone. The past two years we have been meeting virtually on zoom but are transitioning to a hybrid meeting format (in person at the office with a zoom option).

EQ Program focus for 2023 -2024 included continued advocacy for clean air and water as well as measures to significantly mitigate and slow the rate of climate change. See this blog post from LWVUS on the climate crisis. It is anticipated that this will continue to be our focus in the coming year.

We participated in Program Planning. We conducted the March Unit on the proposed MSD Rate Proposition S and W. EQ submits suggests content for social media posts,  including an opportunity for Mo DNR Testimony regarding water quality and CAFO’s, MSD Storm Water Management Public Hearings, Radon, US EPA request for comments on Coal Ash Disposal, Lead Water Concerns, I-70 MODOT public hearings, US Farm Bill, US EPA Children’s Health, Nuclear Waste and Nuclear Energy, Radon and lung cancer, US EPA Children’s Health Impacts by Climate Change, and Lead. The EQC3 participated in the Missouri Environmental Summit in October.

Everyone is welcome to join our committee. For more information, see a presentation on our League's environmental quality work. If you have limited time, you can support the committee performing small tasks such as responding to action alerts that can let your voice be heard. We especially need someone to follow transportation. For information, contact committee chair Mickey Croyle, environmentalquality [at] lwvstl.org.

Recent Environmental Quality and Climate Change Activities and Action

1. October 2021 LWV Metro STL signed onto the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition Letter to Walmart CEO asking to embrace renewable energy and add solar panels to roofs and parking lots by 2035). Utilized the Climate Change position as well as energy conservation of environmental protection.
2. October 4, 2021 testified to the Missouri Senate Redistricting Commission highlighting the need to include Radioactive waste (nuclear waste position, hazardous waste, environmental justice, and environmental protection positions), flooding (climate change, environmental justice, water and environmental protection positions), and coal ash hazards (land, air and water environmental protection, climate change, environmental justice etc.)
3.  April 18, 2022, and August 1, 2022 Mo DNR Water Protection Program regarding NPNES Operating Permit, Ameren, Labadie water permit. (Water, environmental protection, climate change, environmental justice)
4. October 4, 2022, submitted comments opposing Spire Energy third rate increase using environmental justice, rate position, climate change, environmental protection, health and safety.
5. December 4, 2022, submitted comments to the US EPA on the St Charles City Water Well Contamination using water quality, hazardous waste, environmental justice, health and safety, and climate change.
6. December 6, 2022, participated in a US EPA town hall meeting regarding Good Neighbors, air pollution and ozone concerns. Positions of support included Air pollution, climate change, clean air environmental protections.
7. January 2023 comments to US EPA on air quality improvement, reduction of ozone, soot, with a focus on neighboring states impact especially related to low income and minority communities.
8. January and February 2023 submitted testimony to Missouri Public Service Commission regarding both Ameren and Spire rate increases including Ameren’s second-rate increase, a fixed rate that has a greater impact on minority, low income, and fixed income households. (Environmental protection, rate).
9. During March 2023, submitted comments to US EPA regarding request for comments on revised air quality standards to protect the public from the harmful effects of soot using Natural Resource Positions include Air Quality, Environmental Protection and Climate Change.
10. EQC3 continued following the St Charles water pollution issues, July ILR article.
11. June 2023 EQC3 committee become active members of the LWV US Climate Interest Group (CIG) participating in Water, Oceans, Renewable Energy, and Farm, Soil and Agriculture.
12. October 2023 – September 2024, Mickey Croyle served as the LWV Metro STL Commissioner on the MSD Rate Commission. Numerous ILR (Inter League Reporter) articles were presented during the year to educate the membership on the Rate Commission Process. The EQC3 committee prepared and presented information on both the Proposition S and Proposition W for the April 2 Election. EQC3 request that the LWV Metro STL Board support for the two ballot propositions using national, state and local positions. The LWV Metro STL sent out a Press release announcing the Board support for both Proposition S and W.
13. December 2023, after receiving permission from LWVUS, a letter was sent to Representative Mark Alford, District 4 the Missouri delegate on the Agriculture Committee supporting funding for conservation programs that endorse climate-smart agricultural practices and a call to action in the December ILR.
14.  January 2024 EQC3 participated in Program Planning. The committee encouraged the request from the LWVUS Climate Interest Group to add an additional program item: Climate Change.
15. Feb 2024 With permission from LWVUS, LWV Metro STL signed onto the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition Letter to US EPA Region 7 requesting them to prioritize a strong ozone Federal Implementation Plan for Missouri to protect the health of our most vulnerable populations to save lives and make air safer for Missouri using the LWVUS Clean Air and Natural Resource positions.
16. March 2024, the LWV Interleague Organization UMRR submitted a revised request for action on the amended US House and Senate Bills to create the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI). Once approved an action alert will be issued and LWV Metro STL and LWV MO will be asked to send letters to our Congressional representatives and senators to support the MRRRI. The Mississippi River plays a vital role in ecological, economic, recreational, and cultural aspects serving our communities and providing drinking water to over 20 million Americans. The Mississippi River is experiencing a state of decline and the MRRRI presents an opportunity to establish a framework, focus and critical coordination necessary to reverse the decline. The LWVUS National Natural Resource and Water Position as well as those of the state and local leagues supports this action.
17. February 2024, With LWVUS approval, signed onto the Missouri Clean Energy Coalition letter to the US EPA Region 7 asking to prioritize a strong ozone Federal Implementation Plan for Missouri to protect the health of our most vulnerable populations and to save lives and make air safer for Missouri.

We are fortunate to have an excellent committee including: Mary Archer, Anita Barni, Karen Brawn, Meredith Dean, Linda Hanson, Nancy Hutchins, Jitka Olander, Linda Peterson, Nancy Price, Kathy Quigley, Barbara Sheinbein, JoAnne Steineman, Carol Prombo, Sandy Claverie, Laura Rose, Carole Boller, Ron Williams, Mary Ann Lazarus, Chris Erwin, Julia Brown, Brenda Switzer, Mary Ann Meyer, Stacey Thomas, and Louise Wilkerson. Many others receive minutes and action alerts, allowing us to respond to Environmental Issues and work to combat Climate Change.