Edward Smith, edward.smith@sierraclub.org
Jefferson City, Mo – The Energy Inflation Act, Senate Bill 4, is expected to be signed into law on Wednesday by Governor Mike Kehoe. Despite decades of opposition by Missourians, the bill includes unpopular provisions that shift the burden of building new power plants to customers’ utility bills before the plants ever produce a spark of power.
In another rare move, the Missouri House of Representatives advanced the massive omnibus utility bill through its legislative process in a single week. The week started with the Utilities Committee hearing, which was moved from its normal meeting on Wednesday mornings to Monday, where the Energy Inflation Act was both heard and voted on during the same meeting. The week ended without a single amendment to the legislation, and it passed on Thursday, March 13th.
Governor Kehoe’s bill signing comes against the backdrop of President Trump’s trade war that’s increasing costs on everyday goods and services for Americans while slashing the social safety net, including the complete dismantling of staff who support the federal Low Income Energy Assistance Program that’s vital to keep families housed. Closer to home, a coalition of public interest groups released a report and online interactive map earlier this year detailing where people face the greatest energy burden as well as resources to alleviate burdensome utility bills, including LIHEAP. Ameren, Evergy, and Spire declined to comment on any efforts they would make to advocate for LIHEAP when asked by the Energy & Policy Institute.
Statement from Gretchen Waddell Barwick, Missouri Chapter Director for the Sierra Club:
“This legislation represents a massive transfer of wealth from hard-working Missourians to profitable monopoly utilities and billion-dollar tech companies that most definitely do not need additional corporate welfare. Governor Kehoe and the legislature forcing families and businesses to pay higher utility bills to subsidize power plant construction is corporate greed, not economic development. Governor Kehoe and lawmakers made a choice to increase costs on Missourians at the same time President Trump barrels our country toward a depression while eviscerating low-income utility assistance programs for struggling families.”
Statement from Sandra Padgett, Executive Director of Consumers Council of Missouri:
“Consumers Council estimates that SB4 will drive utility costs up by an average of $1,115 per year for Missouri households. This is on top of pending proposed increases from major utilities, such as Ameren (+15%), Spire (+15%), Missouri American Water (+40%), and Liberty (+30%). The additional costs of SB4 will place an unbearable financial burden on families who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
Statement from Dennis Ganahl, Founder & Managing Director MO Tax Relief Now
“Utility bills charged by investor-owned monopolies are simply taxes by another name. Like income or sales taxes, the state government determines what you’ll pay by using its Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase our utility rates, and the Legislature to pass bills like SB 4, which gave utilities three new ways to increase our utility bills."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.