By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A natural gas pipeline company has withdrawn plans for a power plant in Cape Girardeau.
Kinder Morgan Incorporated says it grew tired of delays in its permit application appeal.
Both supporters and opponents say the decision could foretell how Missouri handles environmental permits for other controversial developments, including a proposed cement plant in Ste. Genevieve County.
Critics say the state has unreasonable regulations that push businesses away. But environmentalists applauded the state for not caving under political pressure.
The dispute with Kinder centered on how much money the company should spend to keep the air clean. Missouri wanted the company to use clean technology; Kinder wanted cheaper controls.