Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste And Incentives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sustainability commission hears grant denial, warning on Missouri bill to dissolve waste districts and update on rebate expansion
Summary
Commissioners were told Webster Groves’ pumpkin-smash grant application was denied amid strong competition, learned Amron’s recent audit found few incentive-eligible improvements for city buildings, and were warned that Missouri SB1586 — which would dissolve solid-waste management districts — has advanced in the Senate; staff also said city solar rebates may be expanded to heat pumps and residential EV chargers.
At its March meeting, the Webster Groves Sustainability Commission heard several policy updates affecting local recycling, energy and program funding.
David Brooks reported that the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District denied the city’s pumpkin-smash grant application. "They received 53 proposals totaling over $5.3 million with $2 million being available," Brooks said, and he has called the district executive director to seek detailed feedback on the decision.
Brooks also described an energy-audit request to Amron: the utility’s current BISavers audit looks primarily at measures covered by that program, and Amron found few incentive-eligible improvements in city facilities (auditors did note some nonstandard recessed can lights). "There really isn't much that we can do in terms of that program that can help out," Brooks said, while noting other efficiency opportunities may exist outside BISavers’ scope.
Commissioners were warned about a state bill (Missouri SB1586) reported to be advancing in the Senate that would dissolve local solid-waste management districts and change how funding is collected and distributed by routing it through the Department of Natural Resources. The commission was told the bill had advanced out of committee in the Senate while a sister House bill had not advanced yet, and members were encouraged to contact their legislators. "If the districts are dissolved, it could possibly have far-reaching effects for our community and the St. Louis region," a commission member said, citing local programs that rely on district funding.
On incentives, Brooks said the commission’s earlier recommendation to include electric heat pumps and residential EV chargers with the city’s solar-rebate program had not been included in the initially approved council resolution. Staff are drafting a revised resolution to add those items; proposed rebate levels discussed at the meeting were $500 for solar, $200 for an EV charger and $200 for an electric heat pump, and the revision is expected to be presented to council in the coming month.
Votes at a glance: The commission approved the prior meeting minutes (motion moved by Tim, seconded by Karen Anderson) by voice vote; a motion to adjourn was later approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: A statewide change to the structure of solid-waste districts could reduce local grant funding streams that support regional recycling, events and local sustainability positions. The denied grant and the audit’s limited incentive opportunities also affect near-term program capacity. The proposed rebate expansion would broaden local incentives to support heat-pump retrofits and residential EV charging.
Next steps: Brooks will follow up with the district executive director for more details on the grant denial and staff will pursue placing the revised rebates resolution on a council agenda.
