Power Struggles
A number of weeks ago I wrote about the proposal for building coal-fired plants for generating electricity in Kansas. Eighty-five per cent of the electricity was to be exported to other states. The coal for the plants was to be imported from Wyoming. It did not seem like a good trade-off to some of us to import the coal in order to export electricity, with Kansas keeping all of the 12 million tons of heavy metals and other toxins produced by the power plants each year.
The chief environmental officer for Kansas had denied a permit for building the coal plants because of air quality concerns. Proponents of the plants responded by making it a legislative issue, and proposed three bills to override the regulator's denial of a permit. Three times the governor vetoed the bills. The Kansas Senate had sufficient votes to override the veto, but the House of Representatives never had quite enough to override it, so the bills all failed.
The final bill included some economic stimulus funding for other locations in Kansas. The Speaker of the House and others apparently believed legislators and the governor would be forced to support those other parts of the bill even if they did not support the building of the coal plants, providing momentum for the bill to become law.
Before the final bill was voted on, Joel wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. It was published in the Western Front, the reader's write section. A later editorial for the Hutchinson News reiterated some of what Joel said, especially regarding the behavior of the Speaker of the House. Here's Joel's letter:
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House Speaker Neufeld and others have made their stance abundantly clear: they intend to write Sunflower’s construction project into law, and to steamroll anyone who objects. They have introduced numerous bills to enable construction of Sunflower's coal plants, none of which has gained sufficient votes to become law. They ignore the majority of Kansans, who recognize Kansas's potential for economic leadership in the wind industry. They ignore the setback--in lost incentives for innovation, in commitment to Wyoming coal, and in damage to the legislative process--that their headstrong effort represents. They work to legislate reversal of Secretary Bremby’s decision, while considering suing the Governor for interference with other branches of government.
They consult free copies of Fred Singer’s debunked (http://tinyurl.com/6pmvo4) book, while ignoring KU climate scientist Johannes Feddema’s testimony of danger to Kansas agriculture. They warn of rate increases without new coal, while taxing all Kansans to fund Sunflower’s research. They claim wind farms need the coal plants’ transmission lines, while newspapers tell us of competition to build already-approved new transmission. It seems the question is more about power than it is about electricity—and that the Speaker and his allies are willing to sacrifice much that’s admirable in its pursuit.
Our legislators have done enough damage to the state’s reputation and legislative process for one session, and yet language to build the coal plants is again included in a “package” bill to be considered on Monday. The bill contains other important issues, held hostage to the
thrice-rejected construction of Mr. Neufeld’s coal plants. Please encourage your legislators—today, at kslegislature.org—to vote for our state’s economic future, saying no to Mr. Neufeld; and thank those who stand for progress. In November, remember their votes, for Wyoming coal or for a comprehensive energy policy and Kansas's economic future.
The chief environmental officer for Kansas had denied a permit for building the coal plants because of air quality concerns. Proponents of the plants responded by making it a legislative issue, and proposed three bills to override the regulator's denial of a permit. Three times the governor vetoed the bills. The Kansas Senate had sufficient votes to override the veto, but the House of Representatives never had quite enough to override it, so the bills all failed.
The final bill included some economic stimulus funding for other locations in Kansas. The Speaker of the House and others apparently believed legislators and the governor would be forced to support those other parts of the bill even if they did not support the building of the coal plants, providing momentum for the bill to become law.
Before the final bill was voted on, Joel wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. It was published in the Western Front, the reader's write section. A later editorial for the Hutchinson News reiterated some of what Joel said, especially regarding the behavior of the Speaker of the House. Here's Joel's letter:
-----------------------------------------
House Speaker Neufeld and others have made their stance abundantly clear: they intend to write Sunflower’s construction project into law, and to steamroll anyone who objects. They have introduced numerous bills to enable construction of Sunflower's coal plants, none of which has gained sufficient votes to become law. They ignore the majority of Kansans, who recognize Kansas's potential for economic leadership in the wind industry. They ignore the setback--in lost incentives for innovation, in commitment to Wyoming coal, and in damage to the legislative process--that their headstrong effort represents. They work to legislate reversal of Secretary Bremby’s decision, while considering suing the Governor for interference with other branches of government.
They consult free copies of Fred Singer’s debunked (http://tinyurl.com/6pmvo4) book, while ignoring KU climate scientist Johannes Feddema’s testimony of danger to Kansas agriculture. They warn of rate increases without new coal, while taxing all Kansans to fund Sunflower’s research. They claim wind farms need the coal plants’ transmission lines, while newspapers tell us of competition to build already-approved new transmission. It seems the question is more about power than it is about electricity—and that the Speaker and his allies are willing to sacrifice much that’s admirable in its pursuit.
Our legislators have done enough damage to the state’s reputation and legislative process for one session, and yet language to build the coal plants is again included in a “package” bill to be considered on Monday. The bill contains other important issues, held hostage to the
thrice-rejected construction of Mr. Neufeld’s coal plants. Please encourage your legislators—today, at kslegislature.org—to vote for our state’s economic future, saying no to Mr. Neufeld; and thank those who stand for progress. In November, remember their votes, for Wyoming coal or for a comprehensive energy policy and Kansas's economic future.
posted by Mrs. I at
9:37 PM
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