Exciting progress this week in Jefferson City
Good news from Jefferson City this week as Representative Jeanie Riddle filed early site permit legislation, HB1316, in an effort to preserve Missouri’s option to build a second nuclear power plant.
We applaud Rep. Riddle for her determination and effort to file and pass this important piece of legislation. In the wake of stricter EPA emissions standards and the rising demand for electricity, MBEF believes the passage of this bill is needed now more than ever in Missouri. Its passage could lead to thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars into Missouri’s sagging economy. Furthermore, the construction of a new nuclear plant would secure a cleaner, more efficient power supply for Missouri while preserving long-term affordable electric rates for our future.
This legislation includes the same strong consumer protections that were so important in gaining support for last year’s bill. Those protections include a hard cap of $45 million on the amount of money that can be recovered from ratepayers; a required refund, including interest, if the permit is sold or transferred or if the plant is not constructed; and no dollars may be passed through to ratepayers until a permit has been obtained by the utility. The legislation also provides additional funding for the Office of Public Counsel (OPC) to oversee utilities in the state. The additional funding will more than double the OPC’s current budget.
Last year’s legislation was met with overwhelming support which included 20 co-sponsors in the Senate, over 200 business and community organization endorsements, along with over 300 individuals testifying in support of the bill and a whopping vote of 121 to 21 in the House. Along with the Governor’s support and a last minute handshake agreement amongst all stakeholders last session, the early site permit legislation could see final passage this year.
It is clear that this legislation deserves the full attention and support of the Missouri General Assembly.
Special Event Notice:
Next week Dr. Patrick Moore, Greenpeace founder and now nuclear power advocate with the CASEnergy Coalition and Russ Hopper, Director of the Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Center at Crowder College will engage in an informative discussion of our energy future. Click this link for details: meinuclear.eventbrite.com
As always, thank you for supporting MBEF. Please join the conversation about these important issues on our blog, Facebook andTwitter.
