Ameren
Missouri Efficiency Program Ends
Unable to resolve
differences with state regulators, Ameren
Missouri has let its energy
efficiency rebate program lapse. Staff of the Missouri
Public Service Commission and the state’s Office
of Public Counsel believed that Ameren customer overpaid the cost of the
program, and opposed a three-year extension. A proposal from Kansas City Power & Light has been
approved, and it might serve as a model for a compromise between the state and
Ameren. You can read more about this issue here.
Bans
on Texting While Driving Introduced in Missouri
Bills that would
prohibit or greatly restrict texting while driving have been prefiled in the Missouri
General Assembly session that started January 6: HB1542 and SB821. Currently, texting while driving is
banned for drivers younger than 21 and for drivers of commercial vehicles. You
can find more about these bills here.
Bill
Would Add Missouri Highway Commissioners
HB1446 would increase the size of the Missouri
Highways and Transportation Commission from six members to eight. Each of
the seven Transportation
Department districts would be represented by a commissioner, and an eighth
commissioner would be appointed without regard to district residence.
Missouri
Legislators Propose Fuel Tax Increase
Two proposals have been
floated by Missouri
state legislators. One would increase the tax on
gasoline by 1.5 cents and diesel by 3.5 cents. Another would increase all fuel
taxes by 2 cents. You can find more about these proposals here or here.
As an alternative to the
fuel tax, SB645 would redirect 3 percent of
automobile sales tax revenues from state general revenue to the road fund.
Flooded
Wastewater Plants Release Sewage in St. Louis Area
Wastewater treatment
plants operated by the Metropolitan Sewer
District of St. Louis have released millions of gallons of sewage into
rivers. The Grand Glaize and Fenton plants were inundated by the recent floods
in Missouri. The two plants, which combined treat and average of 20 million
gallons of wastewater per day, discharge into the Meramec
River.
White
House Announces Water Strategy
The White House
announced a strategy to the sustainability of U.S. water
supplies and systems.
The cynic in me suspects that these strategies, programs, and actions were
things that were mostly in the works anyway, but someone cobbled them together
into a seemingly unified program (you can can get the details here). Even so, we need to take a serious look at our water
resources, policies and practices. Good policy that addresses today’s water
situation is needed, but sustainable water for our nation will come when we
have a culture that values water for the many roles it plays in our
environment, industry, health, recreation and almost every other aspect of
human life.
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