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West Lake Landfill

By Don Corrigan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winners of the third annual National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse awards. The Weldon Spring atomic site, located in St. Charles, Missouri, receives one of three awards given nationally.

Pictured above: Dawn Chapman (Left) and Karen Nickel, co-founders of Just Moms STL.

Dawn Chapman, a leader of Just Moms STL, which has been battling for the remediation of the West Lake atomic site in the Bridgeton area across from St. Charles, is not so impressed by the award for Weldon Spring.

“If we are being honest, the federal government polluted the hell out of this area during the atomic bomb production era,” said Chapman. “Then it let everything just sit around leaking for decades — some of it sitting next to a high school. The government let radioactive waste get into ponds and streams, then knowingly allowed and even encouraged people to hunt and fish there.”

The Weldon Spring DOE LM Site, comprised of a former Chemical Plant and Quarry, has a complex history, according to the EPA. It played a pivotal role in the success of World War II and the Cold War, according to EPA, and the 228-acre site,  located about 25 miles west of St. Louis, has been revitalized for beneficial reuse as a community educational center and recreational site.

EPA officials said new Weldon Spring Interpretive Center features exhibits designed to fulfill DOE’s post-closure responsibilities. The center informs and educates the public about long-term stewardship and the site’s historical legacy. An important educational focus is on risk communication, showing how cleanup activities made the site safe for public use. Other redevelopment highlights include community use facilities and a natural prairie habitat, which promotes wildlife conservation.

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Sarah Schlafly, CEO of Mighty Cricket, with Jacob Pratt, general manager for St. Louis area FroYo locations.

St. Louis Startup Combats COVID-19 Meat Shortages

As grocery store meat cases empty, some consumers are seeking alternative sources of protein – from insects. This is exactly what St. Louis startup Mighty Cricket had been anticipating when it launched in 2018 with its line of all-natural cricket protein powders, decadent protein oatmeals, and wholesome protein pancake mix.

Mighty Cricket’s founder, Sarah Schlafly, explained, “Mighty Cricket was born out of the realization that the whole nation is food insecure. Our nation’s food system is incredibly fragile. One major catastrophe and we’re all suffering from food supply issues.”

Determined to create a sustainable food system, Mighty Cricket launched with a mission to build a clean protein supply to sustain the world.

Schlafly’s concerns about the U.S. food system was realized during the COVID-19 pandemic when supply chain issues forced farmers to destroy millions of pounds of fresh foods. In a letter published recently by John Tyson, chairman of the board at Tyson Foods, Tyson echoes Schlafly’s alarm, “The food supply chain is breaking.”

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