As you know, the NRA does not often get involved in land development issues. However, in its effort to advance the Lakeside 370 Business Park project, the City of St. Peters has proposed a new levee location that has the very real potential to do significant damage to migratory waterfowl species throughout the Mississippi flyway. For this reason, NRA strongly opposes this project as currently planned.
An estimated 65 percent of the migratory waterfowl in the United States passes through this area of the Mississippi floodplain each year. Even a subtle change to this environment could negatively impact an entire species of waterfowl—not just in the immediate area, but also throughout North America. As the largest hunting rights organization in the world, NRA considers the protection of such significant habitat to be a top priority.
Considering the international importance of the floodplain habitat to waterfowl, NRA Members, sportsmen and hunters need to strongly encourage the St. Peters city government to ensure that any future development does not negatively impact the wildlife that migrates through and resides in the floodplain. Whether through a comprehensive Environmental Impact Survey (EIS), or an alternative levee location, we believe every option must be examined so that this vital waterfowl habitat continues to be enjoyed by both current and future generations of hunters.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources maintains the authority to direct that an EIS be conducted to determine the feasibility of a new levee location in this area of the Mississippi floodplain. Prior to issuing a permit to build a new levee, NRA believes an EIS is the most logical and responsible measure to safeguard this critical wetland habitat.
Please contact Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director, Doyle Childers, at (800) 361-4827 or (573) 751-3443, and encourage him to direct that an EIS begin as soon as possible in order to preserve one of the most important migratory waterfowl habitats in North America. Also, please be sure to share this information with your family, friends and fellow sportsmen!
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