Missouri

November 17, 2009 -- ST. LOUIS - For the second year in a row, in-state, undergraduate students at Missouri's four-year, public colleges and universities won't see tuition or academic fees rise by a penny.

That's the good news Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced today during visits to the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Missouri State University in Springfield.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags on all state buildings in St. Louis County be flown at half-staff from Nov. 12 to Nov. 18 to honor the bravery and sacrifice of Specialist Christopher M. Cooper, age 28, of St. Louis. Specialist Cooper was a soldier in the United States Army who died on Oct. 30 while serving his country in Babil Province, Iraq.

In addition, Gov. Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at state buildings in all 114 counties and the city of St. Louis be flown at half-staff for one full day on Thursday, Nov. 12.    » read more »

Wind Capital Group’s Lost Creek Project to Produce Enough Power for 50,000 Homes

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.--Wednesday, November 11, 2009-- In an effort to meet Missouri’s ongoing renewable energy goals, Wind Capital Group is developing the state’s largest wind project, Lost Creek, with the support of GE’s (NYSE: GE) 1.5-megawatt wind turbine technology.

The Lost Creek project supports Missouri’s Clean Air Initiative, which calls for 15 percent of the state’s power to be generated from renewable resources by the year 2021. When it enters commercial service in the spring of 2010, the project will have the capacity to generate 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power more than 50,000 homes.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 11/09/2009 - Recent surveys of voters conducted in three swing states and five swing congressional districts find overwhelming support for a two-part plan to reduce global warming emissions and to require use of clean energy sources.    » read more »

Missouri will use $146 million in federal Recovery Act funds and $120 million in state funds on work to address aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure

November 9, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Governor Jay Nixon visited construction sites in Liberty and Springfield today to announce the Work Now initiative, which commits more than $260 million in federal and state funds to wastewater and drinking water construction projects in communities across Missouri. Gov. Nixon approved 60 of these drinking water and wastewater projects as appropriate for funding in letters to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.    » read more »

A column by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

November 4, 2009 -- Thousands of Missouri seniors, like my mother Betty Anne, rely on Medicare for their health care. However, if Medicare remains on the same course as it is today, it will run out of money by 2017 and seniors may be without coverage.

Additionally, without adequate reforms, Medicare is on track to cut payments to physicians by as much as 21 percent starting next year, which may cause some doctors to drop Medicare patients.

By rooting out more than $400 billion in identified waste, fraud, and inefficiencies, we can make sure Medicare remains solvent for years to come, ensure doctors are paid fairly so that seniors can keep their doctors, and not cut benefits for seniors.    » read more »

Kansas City, Kan., October 30, 2009 - Proposals for Environmental Education grants to develop new programs or to improve the quality of existing programs will be accepted through Dec. 15, 2009 from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska communities by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan.

EPA regional offices may award grants up to $50,000. Grants over $50,000 and up to $200,000 are awarded by EPA headquarters in Washington.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide the state of Missouri with $37,801,428.07 in federal grant money to help repair damage resulting from the severe ice storms that swept through Southeast Missouri in January 2009.

According to FEMA, the state of Missouri is responsible for distributing the funding to the recipients. Specifically, the grants will go to:    » read more »

October 10, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - In a continuing effort to promote accountability and transparency for Missouri taxpayers while complying with all the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the state today submitted its initial report to the federal government on expenditure of ARRA funds.

This report provides information on investment through September 30 of ARRA grant funds of which the state is the prime recipient. Current information on investment of ARRA grant funds administered by the state is available on the Transparency page of the Transform Missouri Initiative website at transform.mo.gov.    » read more »

Gov. Nixon announces Noranda returning to full capacity, has rehired 38 laid-off workers

September 30, 2009 -- NEW MADRID, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today visited the Noranda Aluminum plant in New Madrid to announce that the plant has rehired 38 laid-off workers and is returning to full production, following months of reduced capacity caused by January's ice storm. The Governor also unveiled the initial components of an $8 million economic development package that will help keep nearly 900 Noranda jobs in the Bootheel.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon this week sent letters to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in support of federal funding for two projects that would provide economic benefits to the St. Louis region and the state of Missouri. The projects seek Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, which were authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.    » read more »

September 14, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced today that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) awards will provide money to the state of Missouri and Jefferson and St. Charles counties. The entities are receiving $14,027,200 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to improve their efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and create green jobs locally.

According the DOE, activities eligible for EECBG funding include energy audits and building retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.    » read more »

FSA and Show Me Energy Pay Producers for Biomass Materials

CENTERVIEW, Mo., Aug. 31, 2009 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) made the first matching payment under the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Show Me Energy Cooperative of Missouri was the first biomass conversion facility that became qualified under BCAP, a 2008 Farm Bill Program, and less than a month later, was paying producers for biomass materials that FSA matched with BCAP collection, harvest, storage and transportation (CHST) program funds.    » read more »

Gov. Nixon reminds young Missourians that state law banning texting while driving takes effect today

August 28, 2009 -- LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - Beginning today, it is illegal for drivers age 21 and under to send, read or write text messages while driving on Missouri roads. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Missouri State Highway Patrol Assistant Superintendent Lt. Col. Richard Coffey were in Lee's Summit today to remind young drivers and their parents that enforcement of the new Missouri law banning texting while driving is now in effect.    » read more »

Nixon issues request for partners in competition to win Recovery Act funding for expanding access to high-speed internet; deadline for notice of interest is July 13

July 7, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Citing the pressing need for Missouri citizens and businesses to access information and compete in markets around the globe, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today announced the state's efforts to recruit businesses and organizations as cooperative partners in a competition for funding that would begin to deliver broadband internet access throughout Missouri.    » read more »