NW MO Regional Council of Governments Online

"Some may not consider Missouri to be a traditional ‘green’ state, but responsible efforts like Rock Port’s and the innovative plans we are implementing in state government with the use of green technology are changing the status quo," said Gov. Blunt. "We must protect our environment at the same time as we encourage economic growth. We must ensure that future generations of Americans have the energy they need for continued prosperity as well as a healthy environment. I commend the community of Rock Port for harnessing the natural resource of wind energy prominent in this region of the state. Wind is a clean energy source and Rock Port has the distinction of becoming the first community in the nation to be powered by it."

Four wind turbines provide electricity to the small town of Rock Port and will provide electric service for at least twenty years. The use of this clean energy source will provide a savings to the rural electric companies and Missouri families using Rock Port utilities. It is anticipated that customers will not see an increase in their utility costs for the next 15 to 20 years.

Gov. Blunt recently signed legislation making Missouri the fourth state to enact an environmentally-friendly sales tax holiday joining Connecticut, Florida and Virginia. The legislation creates the "Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday". The holiday will start on April 19th and end on April 25th. All sales of Energy-Star Certified new appliances, up to $1500, will be exempt from state sales tax.

Gov. Blunt has been instrumental in identifying and employing the use of alternative energy sources in Missouri. Last year the governor announced a partnership to create renewable energy and heat using byproducts from the Jefferson City Landfill. Methane gas from the landfill is converted to electricity, and the heat created by conversion facilities is used to heat water for the state prison. The project uses resources that would otherwise have been wasted while at the same time producing benefits for the environment, the state, the prison and local communities. Gov. Blunt’s support for proactive solutions to save energy and protect the environment once implemented will both reduce energy use and save taxpayers nearly $16 million in energy costs. Initiatives include a range of projects from centralizing and monitoring statewide energy consumption to changing laundry operations at prisons.

Last summer the governor signed the Green Power Initiative. The Initiative has been heralded as the most important environmental legislation passed by the state in more than a decade. It decreases pollution from energy production by encouraging an increase in the use of renewable energy sources such as wind, hydroelectricity, solar power, hydrogen and biomass. The legislation sets targets for utilities to meet: a four percent renewable energy target by 2012, eight percent by 2015 and 11 percent by 2020. The legislation also requires the Office of Administration to ensure that at least 70 percent of the new vehicles purchased for the state fleet are flex fuel and allows municipal landfills to accept yard waste in order to create bio-reactors which produce methane gas for use in energy production.

Gov. Blunt has been a dedicated supporter of renewable fuels in our state. The governor fulfilled a promise he made to Missourians when he signed legislation in 2006 requiring all gasoline offered for sale in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol (E-10). The new standard championed by Gov. Blunt went into effect at the beginning of this year.

The governor has also worked to pay back the incentive payments that were promised to the Missouri farm families that invested in alternative fuel cooperatives, but were not made before he took office.

Missouri is also home to the only state building in the nation with a platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.