On June 18, Governor Jay Nixon signed Executive Order 14-06, to formally launch the development of a comprehensive State Energy Plan, led by the Missouri Department of Economic Development's Division of Energy.
“How we produce and consume energy will have profound and lasting impact on our economy, our security and our quality of life,” Gov. Nixon said. “With so much at stake, we need to have a clear vision for what our energy future should look like, and how to get there. That is why I am charging our Division of Energy with gathering input from stakeholders around the state and developing a detailed and comprehensive plan for meeting Missouri’s needs for clean, reliable, affordable and abundant energy now and in the future.”
In public meetings across the state, the initiative will solicit input from the public and energy stakeholders including consumers, businesses, public utilities, renewable energy companies, academic researchers and environmental advocates.
“The over-arching goals of this initiative are those we all share: making sure Missouri consumers and businesses have access to clean, reliable, affordable and abundant energy, while seizing the opportunity to attract high-paying energy jobs to our state,” Gov. Nixon said. “With input from consumers, businesses, experts and advocates across the state, the Statewide Energy Plan will chart a course toward a more prosperous, secure and sustainable energy future.”
Over the past five years, Gov. Nixon has made clean, reliable, affordable and abundant energy a priority of his administration. Missouri state agencies have reduced energy use by more than 22 percent since the Governor signed an executive order in 2009 directing agencies to reduce their energy use by two percent each year. The Governor also signed the Energy Efficiency Investment Act to give investor-owned utilities an incentive to implement energy efficiency programs, which protect the environment and hold down costs for consumers.
In 2010, the Governor’s Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth identified “Energy Solutions” as one of seven target industries with the highest potential for creating jobs and spurring economic growth. Last year, in recognition of energy’s unique and growing importance to the state’s economy, Gov. Nixon issued an executive order realigning the Division of Energy from the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Economic Development, which the General Assembly approved.