Who We Are

The Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA) is a quasi-governmental agency that serves as the financing arm for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Established by the Missouri General Assembly in 1972, the EIERA Board Members are appointed by the Governor.

The EIERA's primary mandate is to provide financial assistance for energy and environmental projects and protect the environment. The agency also conducts research, supports energy efficiency and energy alternatives and promotes economic development. The Authority is not a regulatory agency.

The EIERA operates on a request-only basis and has been able to take a one-time $225,000 appropriation and parlay it into almost $7 billion in financing and over $4 million in projects, research, technical assistance and education. The agency operates on the fees it receives from its financings, grant income and interest income on Authority funds.

In cooperation with the Missouri Clean Water Commission,  the Safe Drinking Water Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the EIERA helped establish the Missouri State Revolving Fund (SRF). The SRF provides below market loan monies to communities and districts for construction of wastewater and drinking water projects.

The EIERA, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center, developed the Missouri Energy Efficiency Leveraged Loan Program to provide funds to city and county governments and public school districts for energy efficiency improvements in facilities or buildings.

In 2005, the Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority was awarded a $1 million grant to capitalize the Missouri Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund from which the EIERA will provide loans and sub-grants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum and hazardous substances.

The EIERA offers traditional financial assistance through Private Activity Bonds for qualifying pollution control projects. These programs are regulated by federal and state laws and may consist of issuing non-taxable bonds, floating or fixed-rate notes, short-to-intermediate term bonds, and long term bonds.

The Missouri Market Development Program provides financial assistance to start-up and existing Missouri businesses to redirect waste to serve as raw materials to make products that are purchased and used by consumers. The Missouri Market Development Program also works directly with Missouri manufacturers to overcome technical barriers to increasing the use of recovered materials through customized programs in areas such as plant layout, product feasibility, market research and product design and development.This helps ensure that recycling will expand its role in economic development for Missouri, contribute to a quality environment, conserve Missouri resources and create Missouri jobs.