Company planning St. Louis expansion hit with $33 million fine for … – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Company planning St. Louis expansion hit with $33 million fine for … St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Israeli company planning an expansion to help build electric vehicle batteries in St. Louis reached an agreement last month to pay a $33.5 million fine for pollution in Israel — the largest such penalty in the country’s history, according to some reports.
ICL Group — which makes a range of chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial products — announced that the Dec. 14 settlement agreement between one of its subsidiaries and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority resolves issues sparked in 2017, when an evaporation pond wall collapsed at one of its fertilizer plants in southern Israel.
The incident spilled over 26 million gallons of highly acidic water across more than 12 miles of the surrounding desert and watershed, causing contamination and, according to Israeli news reports, killing a third of a local herd of rare ibex — a kind of wild goat known for long, curved horns.
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In the aftermath, Israel’s Ministry of Environment launched a criminal investigation into the plant’s owner and ICL, its parent company.
“All the plants and animals in the valley during the tsunami of acid were probably highly damaged, probably dead,” said Oded Netzer, an ecologist for the ministry, Reuters reported in 2017. “In the long term, there will be soil damage and large functional ecological problems.”
Through the new settlement, ICL’s subsidiary agreed to pay for restoration of the contaminated area and other things, such as legal expenses. The financial impact on ICL “is not expected to be material,” the company said in a recent summary posted to its website.
ICL did not respond to requests for an interview.
The company employs about 300 people in the St. Louis area.
In October, the Biden administration announced that ICL would receive a nearly $200 million federal grant to help build a 120,000-square-foot plant at its existing campus in St. Louis’ Carondelet neighborhood. The $400 million plant will produce material for the lithium battery industry — crucial for electric vehicles — and is hailed as the first large-scale facility of its kind being developed in the U.S.
Looking for the best hike for photos, wildlife or a workout? Here are some of St. Louis’ top trails
Best view of the Mississippi • Cliff Cave Park
What • After completion of a $4.3 million project including a 2-mile trail extension, Cliff Cave park reopened for hikers in 2018. The park, located in South County on the coast of the Mississippi is home to three trails: the 7.1 mile paved Mississippi Greenway Trail, the 1-mile River Bluff trail, and the Spring Valley Trail with a 1.8 mile outer loop and a 1.2 mile inner loop. The area is prone to flooding, so check the website before making a trip.
Where • 806 Cliff Cave Road, off Telegraph in south St. Louis County. More info.
Difficulty • The are a total of 11 miles of hiking along three trails, but the one-mile River Bluff Trail offers the best view of the Mississippi.
Best fitness workout trail • Lime Kiln Loop Trail
What • Walk the Lime Kiln Loop in Rockwoods Reservation for its up and downs and long straightaways. The footing is mostly runner-friendly, but there are some rocks and roots so beware. Reptiles abound until it gets cold. In autumn the naked trees open up panoramic views. As an added bonus, at the start of the trail, you can glimpse some alpaca and llama on a nearby farm.
Where • Rockwoods Reservation, 2751 Glencoe Road, Wildwood. More info.
Difficulty • The 3.2-mile loop works on the endurance with a peak rise from 300 to 800 feet.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best place to see wildlife • Powder Valley Nature Area
What • Deer are everywhere in Powder Valley, and the deeper you get on the trails the more you see other mammals and birds. The Visitor Center has a bird/animal feeder where you can watch birds and squirrels argue over the feed the staff plants there. The deeper you get into the forested area, the more the streams and clearings look like something from a postcard. The Broken Ridge, Hickory Ridge and Tanglevine trails combine for 2.5 miles, with varying difficulty.
Where • 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood. More info.
Difficulty • The area has three trails, one of which has interpretive signs and is wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best place to see wildlife, honorable mention • Lone Elk Park, White Bison Trail
What • Lone Elk Park is the home of the four-mile White Bison Trail, moderately difficult by Plains State standards, but the attraction is the very visible elk, bison and other mammals. Note: Leave the animals alone! They’re wild. Bull Elk in full antlers can be territorial, cow elk with calves can be protective, bison can be cranky for no apparent reason.
Where • Interstate 44 to North Outer Road west of Highway 141 to 1 Lone Elk Park Road. More info.
Difficulty • This trail is fairly difficult with several elevation changes and rocky terrain. There’s also a trailhead to the 7-mile (one way) and difficult Chubb Trail that connects Lone Elk Park to West Tyson Park.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Best pure hiking • Rockwoods Reservation
What • It’s a hiking park with about 13 miles of trails ranging from a quarter mile long to 3.2 miles, and with some creative bushwhacking, stretch one walk into 5.5 miles, hills or flat. Flash flooding last summer has caused some rerouting of Trail Among the Trees and Rock Quarry – Long Loop. The valleys look like postcards, and the peaks will open up your lungs without breaking your ankles on rocks. Pictured is the very easy Wildlife Habitat Trail, which is wheelchair accessible.
Where • 2751 Glencoe Road, Wildwood. More info.
Difficulty • Depends on which trail you are on, but ranging from the very easy to more challenging with some elevation climbs.
Best pure hiking, honorable mention • Rockwoods Range
What • Trails are longer and tougher than the similarly named and nearby Rockwoods Reservation, but a lot less traffic and a lot of overgrowth. Military units use this area for orienteering training. The 13.2-mile Green Rock Trail is for hiking only, but three other trails are for hiking, biking and horseback: Round House Loop Trail (3 miles), Fox Creek Spur Trail (0.6 miles), Fox Run Trail (3.5 miles).
Where • Fox Creek Road near Allenton/Eureka. More info.
Difficulty • Hilly and rocky, so fairly difficult.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best trails for photography • Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge
What • This view is from an observation platform at the entrance to the refuge and looks at two tree lines separated by the Illinois River. The trails are unnamed service roads where walking is allowed. They’re alongside marshes, tree stands and lakes where a variety of migrating and native birds fill this place up all year round, especially if there has been adequate rain. From the Visitors Center, watch predator birds fly the tree lines. East of the big lake are sloughs and waterways where if you follow them back by bicycle or foot, you find spooky coves and mini-canals.
Where • Near Brussels. From St. Charles County, take the Golden Eagle Ferry across the Missouri River to Calhoun County. The entrance to the Two Rivers area is on Hagen Road. More info.
Difficulty • All of the walking routes are flat, from a quarter mile to several miles.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best view from a trail • Don Robinson State Park
What • This state park, which opened in 2017, features cliffs, glades, forests and an overlook with rocking chairs. One parks resource steward says he can’t think of another overlook in Jefferson County where you can look in all directions and not see another house.
Where • 9275 Byrnesville Road, Cedar Hill. More info.
Difficulty • Moderate. The four-mile Sandstone Canyon Trail offers the best views. A connector path halfway through cuts the hike in half.
Best trail for casual bicyclists • Rock Hollow Trail
What • An asphalt-surface trail that is 10-feet wide is perfect for cyclist starting their journey onto other trails because there’s plenty of trail to share with the runners and walkers there. The first quarter-mile is steep, but after that, it’s fairly flat with plenty of benches along the way. No night visits allowed. It ends at the 5-mile Al Foster Trail, with ways to connect to the Bluff View trail (11 miles) and the Hamilton Carr Trail (1.7 miles).
Where • Wildwood. Manchester Road to Old State Road, south to Ridge Road, east a quarter mile to the entrance. More info.
Difficulty • Easy, 4.6 miles round-trip, out and back.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best trail if you don’t mind a drive • Interpretive Loop Trail, Grand Gulf State Park
What • Known as Missouri’s “Little Grand Canyon,” Grand Gulf State Park is a three- to four-hour drive situated near the Arkansas border, northwest of Thayer, Missouri, in south-central Missouri. It’s a true canyon with high walls and a river at the bottom. The 1.3 mile Interpretive Loop Trail features waterfalls and four overlooks that show the Grand Gulf sink hole and cave system.
Where • Highway W, Thayer, Missouri. More info.
Difficulty • Moderate
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best trail if you don’t mind a drive, honorable mention • Trail Through Time, Pickle Springs Nature Area
What • Pickle Springs offers two miles of fascinating landscapes, box canyons and a waterfall. (Pictured is the Double Arch formation, which holds up a shelf of sandstone.) It’s a little hard to find on some back, windy roads near Farmington, but people have certainly found it, as it’s become a bit crowded in recent years. Still, it’s quite gorgeous, even in winter when the water freezes. The rose azalea in the spring is also worth seeing.
Where • Interstate 55 to Farmington, Highway 32 to Highway AA to Dorlac Road north. More info.
Difficulty • Moderate
Missouri Department of Conservation
Best trail to prepare for a long, rugged hike • Buford Mountain Conservation Area Loop
What • The Buford Mountain trail is for those in good physical condition. It’s a 700-foot, rocky climb to the 1,720-foot peak. Many hikers turn back at that point. In all, it’s 9.1 miles, around Buford Mountain’s five peaks. The view from Bald Knob is worth it. Carry water, maybe a water purifier, a fully charged cellphone, a compass or GPS, hiking shoes and an extra pair of socks. A hiking stick helps, too. Make sure someone knows where you are and when to expect your return.
Where • Eight miles north of Ironton, Mo., on Highway 21, then two miles north on Highway U.
Difficulty • Very difficult.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best vista/most scenic (tie) • Mina Sauk Falls Trail
What • The trail starts atop Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest point in Missouri at 1,772 feet elevation. What’s great is you start at the top. There’s parking and even a wheelchair-friendly walk to the trailhead panorama. From there it’s downhill beside the state’s tallest waterfall and to the beginning of the Ozark Trail. While the trail is formally 3 miles, you can turn around at any time, or walk 35 miles through the St. Francois Mountains, or several hundred miles along the Ozark Trail.
Where • Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, east of Ironton, Mo., on Highway 72.
Difficulty • To the trailhead, very easy. Head downhill and it’s difficult.
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Best vista/most scenic (tie) • Garden of the Gods Observation Trail, southern Illinois
What • This summit from the Observation Trail is a 1/4-mile loop that has the highest vantage of the area. Though it’s beautiful any time of year, it’s especially breathtaking in the fall. It’s a difficult trail that takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk because of all the steep grades and steps. There are benches, though. Be warned, though, there are dangerous dropoffs and people have fallen to their death there. The Garden of the Gods recreation area has lots of other trials, too, if you are looking for something a little tamer.
Where • Shawnee National Forest. Headquarters: 50 Highway 145 South, Harrisburg, Illinois.
Difficulty • It’s uphill. Be careful.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Best vista/most scenic , honorable mention • Lewis and Clark Trails
About two miles from the Lewis & Clark Trails trailhead is an excellent view from 110 feet of the Missouri River, Katy Trail and Chesterfield Valley. Bicyclists like this trail, too, but avoid after a rain.
Where • Weldon Spring Conservation Area, Highway 94 west of Highway 40.
Harry Jackson Jr.
Getting there: Mapping the trails
Watch now: Stunning views from 10 fall hikes around St. Louis
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