Kansas Governor's Third Coal Plant Veto Sustained

[KansDem]

TOPEKA, Kansas, May 1, 2008 (ENS) - Kansas will not have two new coal-fired power plants at Holcomb in the western part of the state. Late Thursday night, the Kansas House narrowly sustained the third veto of a bill to allow the plants by Governor Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat.

The vote in the House was 80-45, four votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the governor's veto.

Closely watched as an indicator of the mood of the Midwest on coal power, the battle between the governor and the Republican controlled Statehouse over Sunflower Electric's bid to expand its Holcomb Generating Station has absorbed much of this legislative session.

The fight began last October when Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment Rod Bremby denied an air quality permit needed to proceed with construction because the two proposed 700 megawatt units would emit too much of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

It was the first denial of a coal power plant permit in the country based on climate change concerns.

--more--
Environment News Service

My wife is/was involved with this. It took a lot of hard work and trips to Topeka by dedicated activists but common-sense prevailed!

[Mabus]

1. Thank your wife for me!

This is terrific news. And vetoed for climate concerns. Right on. You go Kathleen.


I also had two friends who went from Lawrence to Topeka (I think it was earlier this week) over the coal plant issue.

[patrice]

2. YYYYEEEEEEeeeee eeeeeHHHHHHAAAAA aaaaa hhhhhhh!!!!

:bounce: I called and wrote in support of Sebelius as did a whole bunch of other Kansans! :bounce:

NO COAL!

Leave Secretary Bremby free to do his job without CORPORATIST influence!

[Zachstar]

3. Meanwhile the rest of the world is building coal at a huge rate.

This is nothing to celebrate over. The pull on the lines will likely only increase burn rates of other coal and oil plants.

They don't need constant vetos they need a serious solution.

[Mabus]

4. One less coal plant is something to celebrate

85% of the power that was to be generated from the proposed coal plant would not be used in Kansas. Instead the majority of the energy created was to have been used in Texas and Colorado.

Sebelius has rejected two bills that would authorize construction of the two 700-megawatt plants. She has cited concerns about carbon dioxide emissions, linked to climate change, escalating costs of coal-fired plants, and the fact that 85 percent of the power would be sold to out-of-state customers.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1364789/sebelius_rejects_coalfired_plant_ultimatum/index.html

Yes, Kansas needs serious solutions. Now maybe we'll start looking for some. Oh look, she's already doing that!

After vetoing a bill that would have allowed 11 million tons of greenhouse gases to be produced from two new coal-fired power plants, the governor signed Executive Order 08-03, which establishes the Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy Advisory Group.

“We know that greenhouse gases contribute to climate change,” Sebelius said. “As an agricultural state, Kansas is particularly vulnerable. Therefore, reducing pollutants benefits our state not only in the short term – but also for generations of Kansans to come.”

***

In her State of the State Address this past January, Sebelius discussed the need for Kansas to join 36 other states in developing a state plan to deal with climate change. The Energy and Environmental Advisory Group will develop recommendations to the governor involving opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a recommended timetable for implementation.

Other issues to be examined by this group include a study of the impact electrical production has on community economic development and the opportunities to diversify Kansas’ energy portfolio.

The process will be facilitated by the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS). Their work is supported by the Energy Foundation and the Sandler Family Supporting Foundation, which includes the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. CCS has developed climate action plans in: Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Washington, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Vermont. State plans are underway in South Carolina, Florida, Arkansas, Michigan, Maryland, and Alaska.

http://www.governor.ks.gov/news/NewsRelease/2008/nr-08-0321a.htm

We (I'm still a registered Kansas voter because my primary residence is still Kansas) elected a good governor, twice.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Wonderful news!

The local talking heads said a key here was the split between the moderate repukes in Jo Co and the crazy conservatives in western Kansas. It's just one more broken link in the KS GOP chain.

:woohoo: