By Michael Berg, Chapter Organizer
2016 was not a great legislative session in Jefferson City for Missouri’s environment. The reality is that with the present make-up of the House and Senate, it is basically impossible to pass strong environmental legislation. While positive bills are not being considered, several bad bills did pass this session, including a bill designed to give control of our Clean Water Commission to corporate agricultural interests. In order to change this situation, we need more legislators elected who work for the best interests of our environment.
Still, the Sierra Club succeeded in stopping some of the worst anti-environmental proposals in Jefferson City. Working with others, we stopped a proposal to sell the land that will soon be Missouri’s new state park on the Eleven Point River. We successfully fought bills attempting to interfere with implementation of the Clean Power Plan in our state. We also helped kill a bill designed to help utilities keep dirty coal-fired power plants running long past their proper time for retirement. Without our efforts, things could have been much worse.
Sierra club members worked hard. We organized 14 in-district meetings with legislators, with nearly 200 members and supporters participating. Over 100 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 2400 members contacted their legislators on issues concerning the Eleven Point River State Park and attacks on our Clean Water Commission
This year’s legislative program accomplished much more than in previous years, thanks to the work of our legislative committee: Mike Diel (Chair), Carolyn Amparan, Dan Reed, Barb Yates, James Harmon, Foster Speichinger, Caroline Pufalt, Paulette Zimmerman, Henry Robertson, Ross Hunt, Juli Viel, Claus Wawrzinek, Steve Mohler, Anne McGregor, Winston Apple, Myra Scroggs, Jim Arneson, Audrey Elder, and Lucas Doyle. Thank you for your hard work.
