Kehoe: Infrastructure is Critical to Jobs
Below is an excerpt from Sen. Mike Kehoe’s Capitol Report:
I believe that infrastructure improvements and maintenance are critical to Missouri and provide good, long-term, boots-on-the-ground jobs whether that infrastructure is above ground, below ground, or on the ground. Accordingly, on Thursday I filed Senate Bill 207 relating to electrical Infrastructure Strengthening and Regulatory Streamlining (ISRS). Missouri’s electrical infrastructure is aging, and Missouri’s century old regulatory processes make efficient and cost-effective electrical infrastructure improvements almost impossible.
ISRS has been in place for over a decade in the gas and water industry and has proven very successful. All the consumer protections which have proven more than adequate in gas and water ISRS are in place in SB207. These changes will immediately improve Missouri’s standing on the bond market as well as ensure that Missouri is well positioned for large manufacturing investment in areas such as Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology that Westinghouse and the utility alliance are working hard bring to the state. Old and outdated regulatory processes should not stifle much needed infrastructure investment.
