By Michael Berg
Despite the large number of Missouri legislators hostile to the environment, there is good news to report from Jefferson City:
- The 2015 session could have been much worse
– Our legislative program is stronger than ever.
Last session, Missouri legislators proposed several bills designed to make it more difficult for Missouri to implement the Clean Power Plan - America’s first national effort to reduce climate change causing carbon emissions. Only one passed – in a form that could have been worse.
In addition, the legislature introduced a whopping 17 separate bills meant to weaken our award winning Department of Conservation (MDC). This includes bills to eliminate the conservation sales tax, ban communication between non-profits and MDC, eliminate the Conservation Commission’s ability to acquire land, and force MDC to pay $500 to every motorist who hits a deer. None of these bills passed
With a focus on these key issues, ourlegislative committee made sure the legislature heard our message of environmental stewardship. We organized 13 in-district meetings with legislators, with 203 members and supporters participating. Over 170 people attended one of our four lobby days, meeting face to face with almost every Senator and Representative, and leafleting the capitol each time. Over 1400 members contacted their legislators on issues concerning the Clean Power Plan, factory farms and voting rights. The Sierra Club provided crucial testimony at several House and Senate hearings.
This year’s legislative program accomplished much more than in previous years, thanks to the work of our legislative committee: Mike Diel(Chair), Ray Anderson, Carolyn Amparan, Dan Reed, Barb Yates, James Harmon, Foster Speichinger, Caroline Pufalt, Paulette Zimmerman, Henry Robertson, Ross Hunt, Juli Viel, Patricia Schuba, Claus Wawrzinek,Steve Mohler, Anne McGregor, Winston Apple, Myra Scroggs, Vicke Kepling, Jim Arneson, and Hugh Shields.