JEFFERSON CITY, MO (Feb. 6, 2024) - The House Local Government committee voted 13-0 to advance House Bill 1751, a measure sponsored by Rep. Mike Haffner (Pleasant Hill) that would give communities a voice in the development of any landfill on their border.
“The data shows us a landfill in this location would have a devastating effect on the health, safety and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in our region,” Mayor Kris Turnbow said. “We are grateful for the support of our lawmakers and respectfully ask for their continued diligence to help us find a swift resolution to this ongoing threat.”
Legislators heard testimony during a hearing on Jan. 30. At that hearing, Rep. Haffner argued that the current law, which was written nearly 40 years ago, is outdated. Rep. Haffner noted the area has changed since then and now has 1,200 homes in the adjacent Creekmoor neighborhood and more than 500 children who attend Summit Pointe Elementary across the street from the proposed site.
The bill seeks to amend the current state statute that only allows an adjoining municipality to approve or reject a landfill development within a half mile of its border. The change would extend that authority to a full mile.
“The need for this bill isn’t about a landfill. It’s about a broken process that unfairly hurts Missourians, their livelihoods, their homes and their property values,” Haffner said.
The state’s Senate Local Government and Elections committee voted 6-0 to advance Senate Bill 739, a companion bill, on Jan. 25.
HB 1751 and SB 739 have broad support among the region’s legislators, and more than 21 cities, counties, school districts and other organizations have voiced public opposition to the landfill location proposed by landfill developer Jennifer Monheiser along Kansas City’s southern border with Cass County.
Learn more about Raymore’s opposition to a landfill in this location at www.raymore.com/nolandfill
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