Science

A new report released today by Environment Missouri shows power plants in the state produce more airborne mercury than 46 other states.

The report, which uses data from the Environmental Protection Association's toxic inventory release, found that of the nearly 4,000 pounds of mercury that Missouri's 17 coal-fired power plants released in 2010, more than 70 percent came from four plants owned by Ameren Missouri.

Nancy Sutley is President Obama’s principal environmental advisor and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

She was recently in St. Louis to speak with high school students and utility regulators.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Véronique LaCapra caught up with Sutley between speaking engagements to talk about what the Obama Administration is doing to address some of the environmental issues facing our region.

Updated with full data tables at 2:09 p.m. (see below)

Rates of three sexually transmitted diseases are up in the St. Louis area, according to an annual report released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.