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Center for Missouri Studies. Credit line: SHSMO/Notley Hawkins.

The State Historical Society of Missouri recently received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its new building that opened in August 2019. Gold is one of the highest certification levels awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council to measure the environmental sustainability and performance of a building.

“The initial planning stages of our new facility included design and materials that would prioritize efficiency, be a healthy building for staff and patrons and decrease operational costs,” said Gerald Hirsch, senior associate executive director of the State Historical Society. “We are very proud that Missouri’s history and art is housed in a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient building that used materials sourced from our state.”

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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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