JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri senator from Cass County spent the day trying to convince other lawmakers to follow his lead.

Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, filibustered for hours Thursday, demanding his fellow senators take action on a bill that could create a larger buffer zone between landfills and neighborhoods.

Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, introduced the bill in January. The house passed it in March and sent it to the senate.

Brattin, and a few other senators planned to filibuster until the bill is brought up again.

“I don’t care how long this takes. It’s going to take all the time that it takes until we bring it up and we pass it,” Bratten said during the filibuster.

At one point, Brattin filled time Thursday by reading the thousands of names of people who signed a petition to stop the development of the landfill.

“The ramifications will be generational. This isn’t a tax reform bill we will visit next year, this is something that if we don’t stop now, it’s going to harm the people of my district,” Brattin said.

If passed, the bill would double the buffer zone between landfills and their neighboring communities from one half-mile to one mile.

The proposed location of the landfill is from 155th Street to 150 Highway and from Peterson Road to Horridge Road in Raymore.

If the bill becomes law, it would likely kill the landfill plans because the entire landfill is within a mile of Raymore city limits.

The city councils of Raymore, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, and Belton, have passed resolutions opposing the landfill. The Jackson County Legislature, as well as the Lee’s Summit school board, have also formerly opposed it.

Kansas City followed suit and voted on a six-month moratorium in opposition of any potential new landfills until an impact study can be completed in the proposed area.