SierraScape December 2008 - January 2009
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by Melissa K. Hope
Sierra Club
Associate Regional Representative in Missouri
Thank You to all who worked on the campaign or made a financial contribution, and to all those who voted to move Missouri toward a Clean Energy Future. This is a victory for all of us!
What's in store for 2009?
While a huge victory, 15% is only a first step in Missouri's Clean Energy Future. If we want to reduce green house gas emissions 80% by 2050 and participate in the new green energy economy we will have to do more.
Missouri, a state with a long history of coal burning (82%) voted by a 2:1 margin to pass Proposition C – the Clean Energy Initiative, requiring the state's investor owned utilities to turn away from coal and meet 15 percent of their energy needs with clean energy. With our strong manufacturing base and great potential for clean energy, Missouri is now racing to catch up with other Midwest states, such as Minnesota and Iowa, to be a part of this clean energy revolution.
2009 holds opportunities and challenges for Missouri's clean energy future. You can help by signing up for Missouri Sierra Club's Legislative Alert list, whistler.sierraclub.org/listsub/?listname=OZARK-LEGISLATIVE-ALERTS and by being prepared to contact your legislators, and other officials about your desire for a meaningful reduction in Missouri's green house gas emissions, investments in clean energy and efficiency and a fair deal for consumers. Just a few upcoming issues are mentioned below.
Climate Change or Green House Gas (ghg) initiatives
- Missouri's new Governor should sign the Midwest Governor's Association Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform and Greenhouse Gas Accord that provides a regional strategy to achieve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. (www.midwesterngovernors.org/govenergynov.htm). Missouri is the only Midwest state not participating.
2009 Legislative Agenda for Energy
- Oppose repeal of the ban on Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) that would enable AmerenUE to transfer the financial risk of building a new nuclear power plant to ratepayers. See a recent Sierran Article for more information about Ameren's plans for a new nuclear power plant and what that would mean for consumers and for the development of cheaper, cleaner energy in Missouri: missouri.sierraclub.org/SierranOnline/2008/10/index.htm
- Support investments in clean energy and efficiency for our clean energy future.
MO Energy Efficiency opportunities
- ACEEE: 2008 State Efficiency Scorecard - Missouri ranks 45th, www.aceee.org/energy/state/index.htm
- DOE studies show that 80% of projected growth in electric demand could be offset by efficiency improvements alone.
- Energy Efficiency is the lowest cost option (by far) for dealing with growing energy demand:
See Estimates of Levelized Cost of New Energy Resources: www.aceee.org/pubs/E085.htm
Stay involved to help determine Missouri's clean energy future. Sign up for Missouri Sierra Club's legislative listserve: whistler.sierraclub.org/listsub/?listname=OZARK-LEGISLATIVE-ALERTS. Or contact me to learn more about other ways to help.