She's Got a Feeling You're Not in Kansas Anymore

Bill to allow new dirty coal plant vetoed by Kansas governor

Posted at 3:09 PM on 21 Mar 2008

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has vetoed a bill that would have allowed a new two-unit coal plant to be built in her state. The legislation would have overturned an October decision by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to deny Sunflower Electric a coal-plant permit on the basis of greenhouse-gas emissions. The bill Sebelius kicked to the curb would also have stripped the KDHE of the authority to hold power plants to stricter standards than the not-so-strict federal Clean Air Act. "Instead of building two new coal plants, which would produce 11 million new tons of carbon dioxide each year, I support pursuing other, more promising energy and economic development alternatives," Sebelius said, adding with impeccable logic, "Building additional coal plants now is likely to create a significant economic liability for Kansas in the future." Having expected the veto, Kansas legislators will now see if they have enough votes to override it.

sources:  Reuters, Associated Press, The Kansas City Star, Environment News Service
see also, in Gristmill:  Governor plays chicken with legislature over coal in Kansas