Jefferson County - East-West Gateway Coordinating Council

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Jefferson County – Section 1
use of public systems that are more reliable and longer lasting. Sensitivity has been given
to topographic considerations because they relate to the health of the watersheds and
watercourses in the region.
Air pollution is a major concern in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Numerous initiatives
continue to improve air quality including: St. Louis Community Air Project, Gateway Clean
Air Program, and the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership. Sixteen air qualitymonitoring
stations exist within the metropolitan area that monitors six air pollutants:
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulates, lead, carbon dioxide and ozone. The Air
Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized method of reporting air pollution values. Over the
past 25 years, the air quality in St. Louis has greatly improved, and, through the
introduction of controls, ozone levels have significantly decreased.
In 2002, the St. Louis Metropolitan area (Missouri-Illinois) reached a significant air quality
milestone. Based on 2000-2002 air quality monitoring data, the area attained the onehour
standard. On May 12, 2003, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) designated the area as in maintenance of the one-hour standard. However, this is
only one step on the road to cleaner air in the St. Louis region. The area must soon meet
the new eight-hour ozone standard, as well as the fine particulate standard.
Protection and preservation of natural environment is important. This includes air quality,
water quality, streams and topography. Stormwater runoff and land erosion is a
significant issue in Jefferson County. Jefferson County plans to prepare land development
policies and regulations to address erosion during land development and construction
process.
A number of hazardous waste facilities are located in Jefferson County. These sites include:
• Doe Run Company resource recovery facility, located in Herculaneum
• Dow Company hazardous waste facility, located in Pevely, Missouri
• British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Westinghouse's parent company, owns a nuclear fuel
plant in Hematite, Missouri; potential for chemical solvents and possible traces of
technetium-99, a radioactive fission product thought to be present during Cold War
activities.
Endangered Species, Historic Properties/Districts, Archaeological Sites
The federal and state listing of endangered species in Jefferson County includes the Pink
Mucket, Gray Bat, Indiana Bat, Ozark Big Eared Bat, Flathead Chub, Crystal Darter, Bald
Eagle, Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Harrier, Lake Sturgeon
and the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker.
In accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the Archaeological and
Historic Preservation Act of 1974 and the Antiquities Act of 1906, information regarding