Monday, June 25, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Signs Legislation Promoting the Use of Renewable Energy
WESTON–Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation to decrease pollution from energy production by encouraging an increase in the use of renewable energy from sources such as wind, hydroelectricity, solar power, hydrogen, and biomass.
"This legislation furthers my commitment to Missouri's Green Power Initiative by increasing energy production in our state while practicing responsible environmental stewardship by increasing the use of renewable energy," Gov. Blunt said.
Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Sen. Chris Koster, creates renewable energy targets for utilities. The legislation sets targets for utilities to meet; a four percent renewable energy target by 2012, eight percent by 2015 and 11 percent by 2020. The legislation also requires the Office of Administration to ensure that at least 70 percent of the new vehicles purchased for the state fleet are flex fuel and allows municipal landfills to accept yard waste in order to create bio-reactors which produce methane gas for use in energy production.
The governor ceremoniously signed the bill at the Iatan Generating Station in Weston, Missouri. The Iatan Generating Station is currently the largest construction project in Missouri that does not involve the Department of Transportation employing more than 1,300 workers. The project is making a $1.5 billion investment in clean coal power generation and once construction is completed will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 42 percent and sulfur dioxide emissions by 80 percent.
Also at the ceremony, the governor commended KCP&L for launching a Comprehensive Energy Plan for its service area including a mix of more traditional generation sources like coal with newer renewable sources including wind power. The company recently added enough wind energy generation to power 33,000 homes.
Since taking office the governor has been a leader in promoting the use of renewable energy. Last year he signed legislation positioning Missouri as a leader in the use of alternative fuels by requiring that gasoline sold in Missouri be blended with 10 percent ethanol by 2008. Over the last three years his administration has worked to pay back the incentive payments that were promised to the Missouri farm families that invested in ethanol cooperatives, but were not made before he took office.
In April the governor announced a partnership between the state, Columbia Water & Light, the energy service company Ameresco and the owner of the Jefferson City Landfill Allied Waste Services to create renewable energy and heat using byproducts from the Jefferson City Landfill. The project uses resources that would otherwise have been wasted while at the same time producing benefits for the environment, the state, and local communities.