More than 160 business leaders across Missouri have signed-on in support of the Missouri Economic Development and Infrastructure Investment Act (SB 190/HB 628). In fact, many of them have sent support letters to their state legislators and to Missouri Governor Eric Greitens to express support for this important legislation.
Patricia Schaeffer, president of D&S Fencing in Festus, wrote a letter to the governor and legislators who represent her area. She told Gov. Greitens that it was important for Missouri to have an updated power plan and improved electrical grid, and that she hoped to see legislation passed to accomplish this goal.
"An out-of-date power plan is holding back millions in investments in the electrical grid that could lead to more work for my company and my employees, and a boost to our state and local economy," she noted in her letter. "The economy in Missouri cannot be supported by the century-old power grid regulation guidelines in place."
The owner of a land surveying firm in Perryville, Michael Zahner, of Zahner and Associates, wrote to his legislators and the governor noting that the passage of SB 190 would create new jobs and boost economic development in the state.
"We want to continue to grow our company and create jobs here in Missouri," Zahner stated. "If the General Assembly passes the Missouri Economic Development and Infrastructure Act this session, I am confident we will see an expansion in our business as projects ramp up, just as they have in neighboring states." He urged his legislators to make this bill a priority and to support passage of the bill.
Bruce Wylie, executive director of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, sent a letter of support of the legislation as a representative of 1,000 high-skilled workers across the state.
He noted that Missouri is "one of only four states that haven't taken steps to modernize the regulatory framework governing the power grid." SB 190, he noted, would provide Missouri the opportunity "to catch up with our neighbors, states including Illinois, that have benefitted in recent years from investments that created new jobs and increased the dependability of their power grid."
He called the electrical infrastructure in Missouri "the backbone of our state's economy."
"Forward thinking improvements to the regulations governing energy in Missouri could create thousands of new jobs and lead to millions of dollars in new investment toward building a stronger, smarter, cleaner, and modern power grid."
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This article was originally published by Power forward Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation.