Holden seeks to boost energy efficiency

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Bob Holden said Monday his office is looking at ways to change Missouri law so that homes and businesses are more "energy-friendly."

The governor's office is preparing proposals for next year's legislative session that may provide more energy aid to low-income families or encourage more energy conservation.

The proposals are growing out of a recent report by an energy policy task force appointed last February by Holden in response to high winter heating bills.

"We've got to encourage the public and the private, the large companies and the small homeowners all to be more energy-wise in how they spend their dollars," Holden told reporters.

The governor spoke at a conference marking the 25th anniversary of a state program that improves the energy efficiency of homes for low-income Missourians.

Since 1977, the program has improved about 138,000 homes, at an average cost of a couple of thousand dollars per house.

The program has about $4.9 million for the fiscal year that began July 1 -- enough to improve the energy efficiency of about 1,500 homes, according to a task force report submitted to Holden two weeks ago.

Holden highlighted task force recommendations urging greater support for the program, but he said it was too soon to say whether the state could afford to spend any extra money.

The task force suggested that Missouri could channel 15 percent of its federal energy grants for low-income residents to the home weatherization program.