Local Issues

This section is fundamentally about situational awareness. Knowing what issues and public conversations are active in a community can inform a developer’s preparation, any sensitivities that exist in the community, and provide avenues to build support. Experience from previous developers (outside, energy, or otherwise) can color a community’s perspective even without having direct experience working with your company. Knowing how those issues were resolved can be informative to adopt appropriate sensitivity and avoid pitfalls. Understanding local issues can also provide developers opportunities to demonstrate their value and commitment to communities by showing concern and offering solutions to local problems and needs—knowing what is on their minds shows you did your homework. 

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There are many headlines involving the sudden interest in the area for wind and solar. The number of solar farms has increased dramatically and seems to be dominating local discussion. Example articles: 

• Missouri’s largest wind farm shut off at night to protect bats
• Group cultivating solar farming in Stoddard County
• Solar Farms in Marble Hill, Missouri​ can now be owned by landowners and the local community

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Additionally, the Missouri Grain Belt Transmission project is relevant across Missouri. The transmission project is receiving criticism over its use of eminent domain to use land from landowners for its project. Example articles:

• Missouri Senate committee takes up bill targeting Grain Belt Express transmission line