Month: September 2026

Ameren is a regional energy company dedicated to delivering reliable energy while helping meet the evolving needs of customers and communities. Through innovation, collaboration and long-term sustainability planning, Ameren continues to advance cleaner energy solutions across Missouri and Illinois, earning Champion Level status in the 2025 St. Louis Green Business Challenge.

As part of the 2025 Challenge, Ameren highlighted its Champion Innovation Project, Powering Growth. The project showcased a variety of initiatives designed to strengthen energy reliability, support economic growth and advance sustainability goals throughout the region, all rooted in collaboration.

“Together, we are more powerful than each of us can be on our own,” said Gwen Mizell, Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer for Ameren. “It is through collaboration that we build trust. It is through collaboration that we create and execute meaningful, sustainable programs that help deliver stability to all our community members. And it’s through collaboration that we share our knowledge about what’s working, what’s not, why not, and where we go from here.”

That collaborative approach helped drive significant results. Through Ameren Missouri’s BizSavers® program, more than 230 Missouri businesses saved over $2.9 million and nearly 30 million kilowatt-hours of energy by upgrading to high-efficiency HVAC systems since July 2024. In addition, an initiative to repurpose retiring wood utility poles prevented more than 5,500 tons of wood waste from entering landfills over the past three years.

Ameren also continued investing in technologies that improve energy reliability. During major storm events from January through June 2025, the company’s smart switch technology prevented more than 150,000 customer outages by automatically rerouting power when disruptions occurred.

The company made notable progress in expanding renewable energy resources as well. New solar generation brought online in 2024 produced enough energy to power approximately 93,000 homes annually. Ameren also began constructing or planning four additional solar projects capable of powering more than 117,000 homes each year and announced plans for its first large-scale lithium-ion battery installation to support customer reliability.

Beyond infrastructure investments, Ameren demonstrated its commitment to the communities it serves. Following the May 16, 2025 tornado, the company donated $1 million in relief funding for survivors and made an additional $4 million available for customer bill payment assistance. Ameren also partnered with hundreds of agencies to help provide more than $75 million in available energy assistance to customers in need.

Ameren’s commitment to collaboration was further recognized through the 2025 Green Jean Ponzi Collaborative Action Award, which honors organizations that work together on initiatives extending beyond traditional sustainability practices.

Through investments in cleaner energy, innovative technologies and strong community partnerships, Ameren continues to demonstrate how sustainability and reliability can work hand in hand to power the future of the St. Louis region.

To learn more about Ameren or get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. For more on how sustainability supports better air quality, visit the Clean Air Partnership website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.

TERRA Environmental, a startup in the St. Louis region, is committed to engineering greener fuel by processing commercial and industrial nonrecyclable and nonhazardous materials into biogenic materials that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As TERRA Environmental continues to make its mark in the greater St. Louis region, the Clean Air Partnership is proud to spotlight the company for its environmental efforts and sustainability achievements. In recognition of its work, TERRA Environmental participated in the 2025 Green Business Challenge at the Leader Level.

“The Terra Environmental team was honored to participate in this year’s Green Business Challenge,” said Tony Smith, Managing Member of Terra Environmental. “The Challenge provided a platform for our team to network and collaborate with industry professionals sharing similar sustainability goals, while also promoting the unique solution Terra offers its customers. We highly recommend the Challenge for organizations and professionals who are serious about sustainability solutions in their everyday operations.”

In 2025, TERRA Environmental implemented the strategic use of energy-efficient motors, lighting and HVAC systems in its facility design and operations, resulting in significant energy savings. The company also hosted a facility tour showcasing TERRA’s sustainable solutions for fellow Challenge participants.

One of TERRA Environmental’s greatest accomplishments was its Earth Day 2025 cleanup of illegal dumping and litter along South 1^st Street in collaboration with neighboring industrial businesses. Following the success of that effort, the company began hosting monthly cleanups of South 1^st Street, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and community improvement.

Participation in the Challenge also provided valuable opportunities to network and collaborate with industry professionals. Through these efforts, TERRA Environmental expanded awareness of its sustainable service offerings while learning about additional sustainability solutions from fellow participants. Those connections have since led to tangible new business opportunities and partnerships, creating mutual value for TERRA and other organizations involved in the Challenge.

Throughout the Challenge, TERRA Environmental exemplified an environment-first approach by generating no internal company waste, ensuring all discarded materials were either reused or recycled.

The company also successfully launched its Engineered Fuel Program, achieving an average biogenic content exceeding 40 percent. This innovation supports meaningful reductions in customers’ Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions while helping decrease transportation-related emissions through the local sourcing of sustainable solutions whenever possible.

For more information about TERRA Environmental and how your organization can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the Challenge’s bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.

As summer winds down and fall approaches, now is a good time to reflect on the state of air quality in the St. Louis region and remember that protecting clean air remains important year-round.

For much of the 2026 forecasting season, St. Louis experienced predominantly Good (green) and Moderate (yellow) air quality days. However, the region saw several stretches of above-average heat in late August and early September that contributed to elevated levels of ground-level ozone, the area’s most common summertime air pollutant. Those conditions contributed to a couple of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) air quality forecasts during September, reminding us that warm temperatures and strong sunshine can quickly create unhealthy air conditions.

Ground-level ozone forms when emissions from vehicles, power plants, gasoline-powered equipment and other sources react in sunlight. Hot, stagnant weather can accelerate that process, increasing health risks for children, older adults, people with asthma and anyone who spends significant time outdoors. Here in St. Louis, we know all too well that ozone pollution remains one of the region’s most persistent air quality challenges.

While the region has made significant progress over the last few decades, there is still work to be done. Earlier this year, the American Lung Association released its 2026 “State of the Air” report which found that the St. Louis metro area ranked among the nation’s top 25 most ozone-polluted metropolitan areas, averaging just over 10 high-ozone days annually during the report period. All eight counties in the bi-state non-attainment area also received failing grades for ozone pollution. As the 2026 forecasting season continues through October, we’ll be interested to see how this year’s results compare.

The good news is that individual actions can make a difference. As temperatures cool, residents can continue supporting cleaner air by combining errands into fewer trips, carpooling, using public transit, avoiding unnecessary engine idling and postponing the use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment when air quality is poor. Conserving energy at home is another simple yet effective way to reduce emissions.

These efforts are especially important for sensitive populations, including children, older adults and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Even as ozone season begins to wind down, clean air should remain a priority. Cleaner air supports healthier communities, improves quality of life and helps protect the region’s most vulnerable residents.

This fall, the Clean Air Partnership encourages everyone to stay informed by continuing to check daily air quality forecasts and to take small steps that can lead to a healthier future for the entire St. Louis region. Together, we can build on the progress we’ve made and keep working toward cleaner air in every season!

To learn more about the connection between air quality and everyday actions, visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X at @gatewaycleanair.