Bill to fund Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Program advances in Senate

Sen. Jason Bean

January 29, 2026 - The Missouri Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources today advanced SB 953 (Sen. Jason Bean). The bill contains an AIM-drafted solution to funding woes of the Air Pollution Control Program (APCP) and helps protect program funding in the future.

Supported by many organizations, including INFRA, ACEC-MO, Missouri Forest Products Assn., Missouri Agribusiness Assn., Missouri Concrete Association, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the bill would earmark a small portion of General Revenue sales tax currently generated by utility companies to fund the APCP. The bill also stops the "sweeping" of APCP dedicated funds for other purposes.

"As most companies are providing better protection for the environment by reducing pollution, the state currently rewards their efforts with increased fees to support the program," said Ray McCarty in testimony supporting the bill. "This bill helps by establishing a source of revenue to support the program and also prevents 'sweeping' funds from the APCP to other funds when funds available to support the program are in short supply."

The bill received unanimous bipartisan support from the Committee and will now advance to the Senate floor. Senator Jason Bean, the sponsor of the bill, is also the Chairman of the Committee and AIM thanks him for his steadfast support of this bill.

If the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law, currently planned fee increases would be withdrawn. If the bill does not pass, these fee increases would go into effect later this year.