Capitol Report for April 8th, 2009

State Senator Brad Lager
Becoming Energy Efficient
Last week, the Senate Committee for Commerce, Energy, and the Environment, passed out legislation aimed at addressing Missouri’s future energy needs. The legislative package works to balance future energy demands, fluctuating costs, the availability of energy, and the environmental impacts of energy generation. Although there is no silver bullet that will fully address these complex challenges, we must keep working to head off this potential crisis. Regardless of the final energy generation solution, one agreed upon fact is that energy efficiency programs are a vital component of any future energy policy.
There is little doubt that without an increase in energy production we will not be able to meet the energy demands of the future. However, it takes time to design, develop, and build new energy production facilities. As a result, we must be smarter, more efficient and more effective in how we utilize the energy we currently generate. We must cultivate, facilitate and encourage energy efficiency programs. If done correctly, these programs will build partnerships between a utility company and its consumers so that they can work together to better utilized current energy supplies.
If passed, Senate Bill 376 will allow Missouri utility companies to make financial contributions in energy efficiency programs and then recover them in their rate base. The Missouri Public Service Commission will oversee this process by evaluating these programs to ensure that these investments are resulting in significant energy savings that are in the best interest of the ratepayers.
I believe this is a reasonable and responsible approach to becoming more efficient in our energy consumption. This legislation has received broad-based support from consumer groups, energy companies, industrial energy users, economic development groups, and environmentalist. By working together, these groups have helped us craft a legislative package that will encourage energy companies to work with their customers to better utilize the energy we currently generate. Until a low cost, long term energy solution is found, we as consumers must manage our energy use so that we utilize these precious resources in the smartest manner possible.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 429, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.