Kehoe: Breakthrough Progress on ESP Legislation
I expected that the week before the legislature’s spring break would be relatively mundane in preparation for significant actions when session resumes on March 19th. This assumption was incorrect, and I have never been more pleased with an incorrect assumption. This week saw marked progress on early site permit legislation which is the first critical step toward securing Missouri’s energy future, building additional nuclear capacity at the current Callaway site, putting thousands of Missourians back to work, and injecting billions of dollars into Missouri’s economy.
On Tuesday a house committee heard Representative Riddle’s early site permit bill. During testimony in opposition to Representative Riddle’s bill, the director of the group leading efforts against energy security and jobs that additional nuclear capacity would provide testified that their group supports the language I filed two weeks ago. Representative Riddle has led efforts in the house to make ESP legislation, and in order to advance this effort she offered substitute language to her bill, changing the wording to match my SB869. Representative Riddle’s leadership in doing so, and her willingness to once again make concessions to the opponents of this critically needed project, is greatly appreciated. Based upon opposition testimony at the hearing, and on the fact that Representative Riddle’s legislation now matches exactly what FERAF said they would support, I look forward to FERAF, and the large industrial corporations that fund and support them, ending their divisive and patently untrue commercials about HB1316 being an “Ameren Bailout”.
I want to thank the large and small companies that continue to support additional nuclear capacity at the current Callaway site. These companies understand that energy security is critical for Missouri’s economic competitiveness, but they also understand that the thousands of jobs that a new plant will create will be a tremendous boost to the economy. I want to thank Monsanto for keeping their word and supporting the current language in Representative Riddle’s and my bills. This legislation is the critical first step toward increased nuclear power that will benefit farmers, residents, small and large businesses, served by Electric Cooperatives, Municipal Utilities, and Investor-Owned Utilities across the state. Like Monsanto, I look forward to this legislation ultimately passing both chambers and going to the governor for his signature.
Last year, even with tremendous individual, community, and industrial support, ESP legislation fell victim to some unsavory mechanics of the legislative process. While I cannot guarantee that will not happen this year, I am hopeful that they can be avoided as much as possible. On Wednesday I spoke with the Speaker of the House, and he assured me that if Representative Riddle could get language that FERAF publicly stated they would support out of committee, he would endeavor to ensure that it made its way to the floor quickly for debate. On the Senate side, I remain hopeful in spite of the fact that ESP legislation was once again referred to the Veteran’s Affairs and Pensions Committee. At the end of last year’s session, the President Pro Tem of the Senate indicated that failure to pass ESP legislation was one of his top three disappointments of the session. With both a house and a senate bill in the works, and with the leadership of the President Pro Tem, last year’s disappointment can soon be a proud accomplishment. I look forward to the senate and house versions working through the legislative process and paving the way for securing Missouri’s energy future, putting thousands of Missourians back to work, and injecting billions of dollars into the Missouri economy.
In addition to ESP discussions, this week also saw the continuation of substantive and productive discussions on Missouri’s transportation infrastructure needs. As I have consistently said, I filed the public private partnership bill in an effort to generate, and hopefully sustain, these very conversations and I am grateful to Senator Stouffer, Chairman of the Transportation Committee, for his passion on the issue and his willingness to devote a great deal of precious time to this discussion. Missouri’s transportation infrastructure will be better, in the long run, as a result of Senator Stouffer’s leadership on this issue and as a result of the citizens, businesses and industries that continue to participate in these discussions.
In the last week I have had the great fortune to sit down with many of you at a variety of events to hear your concerns, to receive your candid criticism, and to listen to your kind words of support. On Thursday of last week I was welcomed warmly at the Spotlight on Osage County event in Linn. On Friday I enjoyed breakfast with Callaway County Superintendents, was on the radio with Warren Krech, spoke to an MU business class in the afternoon, swung by the Tuscumbia FFA Student Fish-Fry, and then ended the evening with a meeting in Stover. On Saturday I co-hosted a morning radio show from Hy-Vee, attended a Boy Scout breakfast at the Eagles, and finished the evening at the Trinity Lutheran School dinner and auction. On Sunday I enjoyed some of the best country ham I have ever had with the good folks at St. Thomas. At each of these events you welcomed me warmly and made me feel at home. I am grateful to all with whom I had the chance to talk, as well to all with whom I didn’t speak but contributed to making each of these events great.
I am in this office to serve the constituents of the 6th Senatorial District. Please contact us at (573) 751-2076 if my office or I can be of any assistance to you or if you have questions.
