Study says cement maker no problem

Business Today

An independent study paid for by the federal Environmental Protection Agency says emissions from the proposed Holnam cement plant in Ste. Genevieve County would result in a small, but immeasurable increase in ozone in the St. Louis area.

In March, the EPA contracted with Alpine Geophysics of Arvada, Colo., to study the potential impact of the plant.

Switzerland-based Holnam plans to build one of the world's largest cement plants, at a cost of $600 million, alongside the Mississippi River, about 60 miles south of St. Louis.

Among the concerns of environmentalists is the St. Louis region's ongoing battle to meet air quality standards under the Clean Air Act.

According to the report, the overall impact of the Holnam facility on ozone in the St. Louis area "is seen to be very small." The report concluded by saying "... we cannot ascribe any statistical significance to the very small modeled ozone increases and decreases predicted ..." in the St. Louis area.

The state Department of Natural Resources and the EPA are studying the Alpine report as part of their ongoing regulatory review.