Mo. Nuclear Plant Bill Prompts Rival Rallies

The group's executive director, Irl Scissors, said the state needs to find new ways to produce electricity because of possible new federal taxes on carbon emissions.

Borrowing from critics' frequently repeated line that AmerenUE, a subsidiary of Ameren Corp., is seeking to pass the financial risk of a new power plant onto its customers, Scissors said that the true risk is doing nothing.

"We're going to put people to work and stimulate our economy," Scissors said. Then, he urged people to "take this Capitol by storm."

Sponsoring Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, suggested that supporters of the legislation stand outside his office door Wednesday when critics of the bill were scheduled to meet with him about their concerns.

Ron Sergent, a retired teacher from Columbia who was the spokesman for the AARP protesters, said the organization is worried about higher utility rates and that all of Missouri's utilities could use the legislation to drive up electric rates.

"It's not just about Ameren," Sergent said. "It's about any project."

He said the protest focused on the AmerenUE building — a few blocks from the Capitol and across the street from the Governor's Mansion — because "they're the center of the storm right now."