Energy Bills Likely to Draw Attention of Legislators
By Roy C. Hengerson, Missouri Legislative Director

The Missouri State Legislature begins its 2008 Session on Wednesday January 9 at 12 noon. How prominent environmental issues will be is not certain at this point. However, it is likely that energy bills will again receive attention from legislators. Passage of the Easy Connection Act, which combined net metering with renewable energy targets, was a significant victory in 2007, and one that may lead to other energy bills being introduced and moving through the legislative process. We can count on the need to play defense in preventing passage of bad environmental bills that always crop up. The Missouri Sierra Club plans to be fully engaged as the 2008 General Assembly debates and decides on bills affecting the health and environment of Missouri’s citizens. Your support for our legislative program is vital to its success.

Green Building Legislation Passage of the Easy Connection Act was a breakthrough for the environmental community in 2007. Now is the time to advance other clean and renewable energy proposals, as more and more people understand the need to conserve energy and reduce climate change-causing emissions. Two such legislative proposals are establishing a renewable energy standard and measures to encourage the use of “green” building technologies. There were a number of meetings in the fall of 2007 on green building measures organized by State Senator Jeff Smith. Other legislators are also interested in green building legislative proposals. Other energy bills will likely be introduced as the 2008 Session unfolds.

State Forestry Law
The Missouri State Forestry Law was enacted in 1946 and is badly outdated, especially the Forest Cropland Program which is part of the Law. Some of the objectives of a revised State Forestry Law include continuation of a voluntary incentive-based forest protection program, increased use of best management practices on private forests, increased use of trained loggers and foresters in private forest land management, and recognition of the many benefits of well managed and protected forests to Missouri citizens.

A meeting of interested stakeholders was held in June 2007 to provide input to development of a forestry law revision. Based on this, legislation will be drafted and reviewed to revise the forestry law. It may take more than one year to enact this law, but the goal is to bring a proposal to the Missouri Legislature for consideration during the 2008 Session.

CAFOs/Local Control
Family farmers, local government officials, and environmentalists won a significant victory by blocking efforts to reduce or eliminate local control of large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in 2007. However, we know the issue will be back in 2008. These allies met in June 2007 to review the events of the 2007 Session and plan for legislative proposals and actions for the 2008 Session. Involvement of the Missouri Association of Counties to protect family farmers and the agricultural landscape is a key objective. Building public support for the need to control CAFOs will also be important.
During the 2008 Session local control allies will closely monitor the legislative process, assure good communications among the organizations and individuals involved, and plan appropriate activities such as lobby days and other lobbying tactics. The records of individual legislators will be scrutinized and where appropriate will be used in the 2008 legislative elections in order to hold legislators accountable to their constituents.

Water Fees and MDNR Budget
The Joint Committee on Restructuring Fees of the Clean Water and Storm Water Programs in the Department of Natural Resources has been meeting and gathering input. Committee Chairman Walt Bivens wants to have a report drafted by the end of 2007. So far there has been limited input from a spectrum of stakeholders. The Committee’s report will guide development of a bill and more public involvement is needed.