Jan 21, 2011 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Jeffrey Tomich
Jan. 21, 2011 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex)
-- Two years ago, environmental and consumer lobbyists clashed with
utility advocates over state legislation that would have furthered
Ameren Missouri's plans to develop a second nuclear plant in Callaway
County.
The bill ultimately died. And the St. Louis utility suspended efforts
to get a permit for a second nuclear reactor. But the months of
television ads, harsh rhetoric and political jockeying that
characterized the debate did make a mark, providing the impetus for
the Missouri Energy Initiative, a new statewide think tank for energy
issues.
Roger Walker -- a part-time attorney for Clayton's Armstrong Teasdale
and executive director of Regform, a statewide business association
focused on environmental policy -- became frustrated with the tenor of
the nuclear debate. The squabbling "became a catalyst for wanting to
have an honest debate on energy issues," he said.
The group emerges as Missouri faces thorny questions regarding its
energy future. The Legislature will again debate legislation that
would further development of a second Callaway nuclear plant. The
state will also grapple with how to increase energy efficient and
renewable energy, while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and
maintaining relatively low electricity rates, a competitive advantage
for businesses.
Walker and co-founder Gary Stacy, a University of Missouri plant
sciences professor, have worked deliberately to sketch out MEI's
goals, recruit board members and raise funds. (Stacy had been
organizing a separate organization focused on Missouri energy research
and education when he and Walker decided to combine their efforts.)
"We've been moving slowly on purpose," Walker said. "These issues are
going to be here for a long time."
The group's 14 current board members include former Gov. Bob Holden;
Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton; Ron Wood, the
retired chief executive of Kansas City-based energy consultancy Black
and Veatch; former Congressman Kenny Hulshof; and Stanley R. Bull of
the Midwest Research Institute.
Another board member, James R. Fischer of Columbia, Mo., a former
university researcher, professor and dean who now runs an energy
consulting firm, sees MEI as an opportunity to attract jobs and
investment to Missouri by playing a part in helping shape the state's
energy future.
"People won't invest in a state unless they understand the energy
scenario," he said.
The group plans to issue its first white paper later this spring, an
outgrowth of a Nov. 2 roundtable discussion that focused on a wide
range of topics. The invitation-only gathering included
representatives from energy producers and users, academia, government
and labor, consumer and environmental groups.
Walker, MEI's current chairman, intends the group to be visible on key
issues. The group's primary mission will be fact finding, educating
the public, promoting dialogue and searching for ways to leverage
energy research at Missouri institutions to benefit the state, he
said.
But don't look for the organization to take a stand on controversial
issues or lobby. MEI will be more than nonpartisan; it will be
apolitical.
"We're not going to walk the halls" of the Capitol, Walker said. "We
don't want to be seen as a special interest group for anyone."
Most operating funds will come from dues, and the group will probably
seek out state and federal grants and perhaps funding from private
foundations. So far, it has cash and financial commitments totaling
$150,000 -- enough to hire a full-time executive director for the
group's office in Jefferson City, Walker said.
MEI will interact with the public by issuing white papers, host
meetings and discuss key issues and be a sounding board for state
leaders on energy issues, he said. Eventually, he hopes that MEI is
known well enough that state leaders will seek out its advice.
The group won't stake out positions on controversial issues, but it
also won't hesitate to promote frank discussion and call out
misinformation -- no matter the source, Walker said.
"Someone's got to shave off the extreme positions and establish what's
real and what's factual."
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