Permit for Holcim cement plant is good news

Holcim Inc., a Swiss company that wants to build the nation's largest cement plant on the Mississippi River in Ste. Genevieve County, passed a permit hurdle recently when the Missouri Department of Natural Resources granted clean-water certification, reaffirming the company's position that the project won't hurt the water quality. The company must still get permits for air emissions, mining and stormwater runoff.

Given other DNR delay tactics recently regarding Southeast Missouri projects -- the floodway projects near New Madrid, Mo. (see above) and the Kinder Morgan Power Co. plant in Cape Girardeau County -- the Holcim decision comes as both good news and something of a surprise. The DNR denied a permit for the floodway and stalled its decision on the power plant.

The clean-water permit imposes some strict conditions on Holcim that are designed to ensure the plant won't foul the water. If the plant ever goes into operation, it would provide much-needed jobs for Ste. Genevieve County for a long time. The company intends to mine limestone for 3.2 million tons of cement annually for the next century.

This is a big step for the project, and a lot of people -- including potential employess -- in that area are watching the ongoing permit process with keen interest.