ROLLA, Mo. — The U.S. Forest Service, acting as a trustee for Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration, is seeking public input on a draft plan to restore resources injured by impacts from lead mining in southeast Missouri.
We invite the public to review the plan, available beginning June 28, 2022 on the Mark Twain National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mtnf/feralswine. An agency representative will be available by phone or email to discuss the proposed restoration project described in the draft restoration plan for Iron, Reynolds, Washington, and St Francois Counties. The proposed project adds additional staff, equipment, and aerial operations to ongoing feral hog elimination efforts in Southeast Missouri.
Feral hogs on the landscape cause damage to sensitive watersheds and native plant habitats. Glades and fens, which support threatened and endangered species (Mead’s Milkweed Asclepias meadii and Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly Somatochlora hineana), are also impacted by feral hog rooting and wallowing. The continued presence of feral hogs on the landscape precludes effective restoration of imperiled species, necessitating their removal. Funding for the proposed project comes from settlements with Freeport McMoRan and Teck American Inc. for natural resource damages associated with the release of hazardous substances at the Buick Smelter and Magmont Mine and Mill Site in Iron County, Missouri.
Iron, Reynolds, Washington, and St Francois Counties are part of the larger Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District. This Mining District is approximately 40-90 miles south-southwest of St. Louis, Missouri and one of the largest lead-producing regions in the world
Public Participation is an important part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration process. The health and safety of members of the public, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority while we work with federal, state, and local partners to slow the spread of the novel Corona virus (COVID-19). In lieu of a public meeting, the trustees will post information about the proposed natural resource project in Iron, Reynolds, Washington, and St. Francois Counties. We encourage comments and input from the public on the draft restoration plan and will accept them beginning June 28th, 2022, through July 28th, 2022.
Members of the public should submit their comments to:
John LaCoste
U.S. Forest Service
401 Fairgrounds Rd.
Rolla, MO 65401
Comments can also be sent by email to john.lacoste@usda.gov.
If you have additional questions you may call (573) 341-7479 as well. To obtain a copy of the draft restoration plan visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mtnf/feralswine.