Urges the general assembly to advance an agenda for environmental protection
House Concurrent Resolution 17 is a nonbinding policy resolution that urges the Missouri General Assembly to support a broad environmental and economic agenda centered on clean energy, climate-resilient agriculture, infrastructure modernization, and natural resource protection. It frames these goals as opportunities to create jobs, strengthen rural communities, and improve long-term economic security while reducing the risks associated with climate change.
The resolution calls for legislation and programs that would expand solar, wind, and bioenergy generation, with a stated goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2040. It also encourages workforce training for renewable energy jobs, incentives for farmers to host energy projects, grants and tax credits for conservation farming practices, investments in irrigation efficiency and local food systems, expanded EV charging and public transit, flood mitigation, conservation funding, and priority access to clean energy and infrastructure improvements for underserved communities. It further proposes private-sector incentives, rural development priorities, an advisory council of farmers and business leaders, and annual reporting by state agencies on progress.
Because HCR17 is a concurrent resolution, it does not itself change Missouri statutes or create enforceable legal requirements. Instead, it expresses the House’s intent and urges future legislative action by the General Assembly and state agencies. If its recommendations were later enacted, the resolution points toward changes affecting energy policy, agriculture programs, transportation planning, conservation funding, tax incentives, and reporting duties for the Department of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources.
The bill text reflects strongly supportive sentiment toward clean energy, climate adaptation, and rural economic development. The resolution presents these goals as mutually reinforcing, emphasizing jobs, resilience, and lower long-term costs. No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate in the available materials.
The main potential points of contention are the resolution’s ambitious renewable energy target, the use of state-supported tax incentives and grants, and the prioritization of climate-focused investments over other budget priorities. Stakeholders likely to support the measure include environmental advocates, renewable energy interests, and some rural economic development supporters, while likely skeptics would include critics of climate policy mandates, opponents of public subsidies, and those concerned about costs, feasibility, or impacts on traditional energy and agricultural practices.