Missouri wildlife refuge among 10 most endangered

A national wildlife refuge in southeast Missouri is among the 10 most endangered in the nation, according to a report released Wednesday by Defenders of Wildlife.

The Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico is the last large tract of bottomland hardwood forest in Missouri's Bootheel and one of the last in the entire ecosystem. The 21,676-acre swamp is a gathering place for waterfowl and other migratory birds.

In its report, Defenders of Wildlife said Mingo is threatened from air pollution from its proposed Prairie State Energy Campus coal-fueled power plant about 85 miles to the east near Marissa, Ill.

St. Louis-based Peabody Energy Corp. said the $2 billion, 1,500-megawatt plant will supply clean, low-cost electricity, as well as hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in economic benefit.

"We will invest a half-billion in control technology that will enable Prairie State to be among the cleanest coal plants in America," spokeswoman Beth Sutton said, noting the plant will have one-fifth the average emission of typical U.S. coal plants.

Studies by both Peabody and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency determined the plant "will have no adverse visibility impact on Mingo," Sutton said.

Defenders of Wildlife president Rodger Schlickeisen said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Missouri groups have worked hard to protect Mingo.

"But this conservation achievement is threatened by pollution raining down from the sky," Schlickeisen said. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to step in and ensure this doesn't happen."

Illinois has granted air and mining permits. The Sierra Club, the American Lung Association and others have appealed the air permit to the U.S. Environmental Appeals Board. A decision is expected by early next year.

Others on the Defenders of Wildlife endangered list are:

nArctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, where drilling proponents want to open the Arctic t drilling.

nBrowns Park National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado. The report said incompatible livestock grazing has wiped out habitat for elk, deer, and thousands of migratory birds.

nBuenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona, where the endangered masked bob-white quail may be at risk from increasing border traffic.

nFlorida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. The report said expanding development is killing endangered Florida panthers.

* McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, which protects the state's largest freshwater marsh. The report cites concern over growing oil and gas development.

* Moapa National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, where proposed groundwater pumping for Las Vegas could hamper desert springs and the endangered species that use them.

* Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge in New York, where stormwater runoff and sewage discharge from motor boats is reportedly causing deterioration of the estuary.

nPocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, where the Navy wants to build a landing field.

nSonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge in California. The report said a massive water transfer would destroy habitat vital to birds in the Pacific Flyway unless a restoration plan is developed first.