Developers of a St. Charles data center kept environmental impact on endangered species from the public at an Aug. 14 open house.

ST CHARLES, Mo. — The developers of a massive and secretive data center planned for St. Charles said they wanted to share as much information with the public as possible during an open house scheduled for Aug. 14. 

One of the things they did not share with residents is how the site would affect local endangered species that call the 440-acre site along Highway 370 in north St. Charles home. The developers received the information just hours before the open house.

The Missouri Department of Conservation sent a letter to the developers on the same day as the open house, detailing that the site would likely cause issues for three federally threatened species and a species recently removed from the endangered list. 

An attorney for the project, Korb Maxwell, previously told 5 On Your Side that the companies that run data centers are some of the most “environmentally conscious companies in the world.” 

Maxwell did not immediately respond to a late Wednesday afternoon email asking why developers didn’t share conservationists’ environmental concerns with the public.

5 On Your Side obtained the department’s letter, and here are which species the center would impact:


Indiana bats and Northern long-eared bats


Both Indiana bats and Northern long-eared bats are likely to roost and raise their young in the area of the proposed data center site, the Missouri Department of Conservation letter said. 

Indiana bats are considered endangered both in Missouri and throughout the nation. Northern long-eared bats are federally listed as threatened.

Both species hibernate in caves and mines during winter, moving to trees in wooded areas near perennial streams, which mirror the conditions where developers want to build the center.

“During project activities, avoid degrading stream quality and, where possible, leave snags standing and preserve mature forest canopy,” the department’s letter said. “Do not enter caves known to harbor Indiana bats or Northern long-eared bats, especially from September to April.”


Decurrent False Aster


The perennial plant is endangered in Missouri and considered threatened federally. It’s considered a “floodplain species,” which means it grows in wetlands and other wet areas, and a “fugitive” species, meaning it exists in environments going through transitions, specifically flooding.

“In Missouri, decurrent false aster distribution is restricted to the Mississippi River floodplain from the Illinois River southward,” the department said. “Current populations are fewer and more isolated than in historical times.”


Bald Eagles


The data center is within the geographic range of nesting Bald Eagles in Missouri, according to the department. The birds often nest near streams or bodies of water in the area of the data center.

While the birds were recently removed from endangered consideration, they continue to be protected by the federal government. 

The department said the project’s managers would need to be alert for any nesting areas within 1500 meters of the project’s activities, and follow federal guidelines if nests are found.


Other environmental concerns

The department said another key concern about the proposed site of the data center was its proximity to the Missouri/Mississippi River Confluence Wetlands Conservation Opportunity Area. It, and other conservation opportunity areas, were reportedly established to represent landscapes that pose exceptional opportunity for conserving the state’s natural communities and native flora and fauna.

“The (area) is…recognized for its continental significance to waterfowl, waterbirds and land birds in addition to its support of amphibians, bats, insects, riverine fish, and a myriad of other members of the ecological community,” the department’s letter said. “Only through continued clear and informative engagement can we succeed in providing the best possible compromises for Missouri’s ecological and economic interests.”