Environment (Rural Communities)

HB 2998 modifies Missouri statutes to support rural economic development through several concrete measures. It prohibits electric utilities from closing coal-fired power plants for five years (§393.407), requires solar projects to source 90% of equipment and labor from Missouri or the U.S. (§393.1120), and caps solar development on cropland at 2% per county (§393.1122). The bill also mandates prioritized funding for rural roads based on population (§226.035) and establishes a Rural Development Office within the Department of Economic Development to coordinate rural programs and report on community needs like broadband and healthcare (§620.070). These provisions directly affect utilities, solar developers, transportation planners, and rural communities across Missouri.