Lawmakers fail to override coal plant veto

The Kansas City Star ^ | May 1, 2008 | David Klepper

[MissouriConservative]

Opponents of two power plants proposed for western Kansas won a stunning victory Thursday that they hope signals the end of a six-month war over coal.

The Kansas House failed Thursday night to muster the 84 votes needed to defy Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and approve the plants over her veto. The vote was 80-45.

-snip-

Plant opponents called the vote historic, saying it may go down as a turning point in which Kansas becomes a leader in the movement away from old energy sources toward sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies and energy efficiency. They hoped Thursday’s vote was decisive.

“True innovation and true ingenuity only comes when we make difficult decisions,” said Rep. Josh Svaty, an Ellsworth Democrat. “… History happens in the unlikeliest of places.”

The Sierra Club hailed the vote, and Sebelius, in a statement, called on lawmakers to “work with me on a new comprehensive energy policy” to serve the entire state.

-snip-

Sunflower had hoped to build two 700-megawatt coal-burning plants at its Holcomb, Kan., power station. Nearly 85 percent of the electricity would have gone to out-of-state consumers.

After a state regulator rejected the project last year because of concerns about global climate change, legislative leaders vowed to strip his powers and allow the project to proceed.

-snip-

The votes of some Johnson County lawmakers proved decisive. Rep. Judy Morrison, a Shawnee Republican, and Rep. Ben Hodge, an Overland Park Republican, voted no, though both had supported the plants before. Rep. Pat Colloton, a Leawood Republican seen as a possible swing vote, also voted against the override.

Colloton said her constituents convinced her.

“I’m amazed at how well-educated many Kansans are on issues about the environment and energy,” she said.

[pnh102]

What’s the matter with Kansas? Their government just voted to make them into a third world state.

[mgc1122]

Now is the time to offer a nuclear powered plant and see they hypocrisy of the greenies ...

[szweig]

Fools.

[Red Badger]

...saying it may go down as a turning point in which Kansas becomes a leader in the movement away from old energy sources toward sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies and energy efficiency.

They proponents should immediately introduce a bill to build TWO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS and see how many people vote for it and will the guv veto that one too!...............

[bmwcyle]

Ditto

[Izzy Dunne]

toward sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies

Just curious, what "sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies" are they turning toward?

.

.

What?

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I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

[vaudine]

A win for global warning, with the help of Repubs. and their moonbat constituants. Alternative sources will be great when and if they materialize. Meantime, clean-burning coal is NOT going to rev. up global warming. Lack of electricity COULD cause a few inconveniences.

vaudine

[tobyhill]

Can people get any dumber? They have just voted for high prices and then these same idiots will be the ones screaming about the high prices.

[MissouriConservative]

The governor’s idea is wind and solar...lol.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They’ll become like California. No juice when they need it and its always someone else’s fault.

[MissouriConservative]

The “Republicans” from Johnson County are the blue blood type of RINOs. Same area, I do believe, that Rep. Dennis Moore is representing in Washington.

[MissouriConservative]

Funny thing is, Sebelius is being mentioned as a possible VP candidate for the dems.

[Izzy Dunne]

Sorry, but they're not turning TOWARD anything.

They've turned AWAY from coal (probably pretty cheap from nearby Wyoming).

Have they actually turned TOWARD solar wind?

[joe fonebone]

“That’s the night that the lights went out in Kansas”

[Izzy Dunne]

After a state regulator rejected the project last year because of concerns about global climate change, legislative leaders vowed to strip his powers and allow the project to proceed.

THERE is a pony under this pile of horse manure:

The regulator got all verklempt over "climate change" and the legislature told him to suck it.

[meyer]

People are really, really stupid. The myth of golBULL warming continues to take it's toll on people, and yet they still fall for the word of the snake oil salesmen selling this BS.

Wind and solar are both expensive and grossly inadequate as a power supply. I would hope that a neighboring state (preferably upwind, even though it doesn't matter) allows the construction of a couple of big honkin' coal-fired plants, and that they further add an excise tax to any power sold to Kansas.

[tobyhill]

There's the Sibley Power Plant just 30 miles from the Kansas Border in Missouri and they burn coal and tires yet there is no smog from there and they have these scrubber pits that capture all waste. Kansas is buying this same power on the grid so I'm not understanding why it's ok for Missouri to burn it yet Kansas won't contribute anything. I think Missouri should kick Kansas off the grid.

[MissouriConservative]

"Have they actually turned TOWARD solar wind?"

Well, sort of...lol.

"Gov. Kathleen Sebelius developed a group Monday to promote wind power, but two key legislators were skeptical it would make a valuable contribution to energy policy.

Sebelius said the new Kansas Wind Working Group will educate Kansans about technology and the economics of wind power, and she predicted its work will encourage the development of wind farms. She appointed Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson as chairman and named 33 others, including environmentalists and utility officials.

"Opportunities for increased wind energy within this state are plentiful, affordable and obtainable," Sebelius said in a statement.

But the Democratic governor's announcement received a cool response from two prominent Republicans, House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, of Ingalls, and Rep. Carl Dean Holmes, of Liberal, chairman of the House Energy and Utilities Committee.

"We need to actually do serious study on total energy needs and resources for the future," Neufeld said.

Neufeld and Holmes strongly support a proposal from Sunflower Electric Power Corp. to build two coal-fired power plants outside Holcomb in Finney County. They argue such plants are necessary to meet the state's growing, around-the-clock need for electricity.

Sebelius and Parkinson disagree, arguing that aggressive conservation programs and new wind farms will be sufficient. In October, Rod Bremby, Sebelius' secretary of health and environment, rejected a construction permit for Sunflower's $3.6 billion project, citing the coal plants' potential carbon dioxide emissions."

LINK

[Piquaboy]

It is about time that this itch was put in her place.

[MissouriConservative]

I could not agree more. Of course the difference is Missouri is run by a Conservative Republican and Kansas is run by a liberal democrat who has aspirations of being VP in the next administration.

That’s why gas is cheaper in Missouri, why coal plants are built in Missouri, etc.

[Piquaboy]

The same thing is going on here in Iowa at Waterloo. Coming up with all kinds of reasons why a plant should not be built there.

[Izzy Dunne]

They [Neufeld and Holmes] argue such plants are necessary to meet the state's growing, around-the-clock need for electricity.

That's odd. The article states:

Nearly 85 percent of the electricity would have gone to out-of-state consumers.

[Non-Sequitur]

Now is the time to offer a nuclear powered plant and see they hypocrisy of the greenies ...

We've got one. Wolf Creek in Burlington.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Looks like the 650 at Marshalltown will be built...

[tobyhill]

I just spoke to Benjamin Hodge and he’s doing a lot of double talking. He admits he voted against the veto override but claims, “there will be other votes”. He’s another RINO loser. I told him that Missouri should kick Kansas off the grid since they have such a problem with coal.

[Prokopton]

What’s the matter with Kansas Republicans?

[MissouriConservative]

“He admits he voted against the veto override but claims, “there will be other votes”.”

That’s what I’m hearing too. So if there are going to be other votes and he’s insinuating that he will change his vote, why not just vote to override to begin with? Unless, of course, there is some back scratching going on with him in the “new” one.

[Vigilanteman]

Nearly 85 percent of the electricity would have gone to out-of-state consumers.

This is one problem-- emotional provincialism: We're burning coal to heat the homes of those no-goods in Denver, Kansas City and Omaha.

Electing a RAT governor is the other problem. 36% of the legislators can outvote the other 64% when they own the Governor's mansion.

[pnh102]

Electing a RAT governor is the other problem. 36% of the legislators can outvote the other 64% when they own the Governor's mansion.

Perhaps when the rolling blackouts begin, the electric company can target the districts of legislators who voted against this power plant, as well as the Governor's mansion.

[mgc1122]

“We’ve got one. Wolf Creek in Burlington.”

Kansas may just lose the revenue ... there’s some serous talk about doubling the capacity of the Callaway plant in Missouri.

[Non-Sequitur]

Kansas may just lose the revenue ..

Unless they overrule her veto we'll lose the revenue, the jobs, everything.

[hoosierham]

I'm amazed at how POORLY educated many people are on these energy issues,he said.

Americans seem completely unable to grasp the concept that nothing is free,that rational tradeoffs have to be made,and wishing doesn't make anything happen.

[Reagan is King]

Well then double everyone’s electric bill in Kansas and watch the people march on the capital and throw those morons out of office. Sorry Kansas freepers, lol.

[MissouriConservative]

Compare this to what has happened in Missouri and the Aquila plant in Cass County.

[PsyOp]

I guess they’ll all planning on planting Corn this summer.

[tobyhill]

We've been pirated by a bunch of eco-terrorist and the RINOs are surrendering in hopes of getting eco-favors.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Weekend Viewing Reminder on C-Span 2:

[aruanan]

“I’m amazed at how well-educated many Kansans are on issues about the environment and energy,” she said.

This could only have been said by someone who knows even less than the pathetic folks who convinced her to vote against the plants on the basis of something so ephemerally stupid as "global climate change".

[GladesGuru]

“I’m amazed at how well-educated many Kansans are on issues about the environment and energy,” she said.”

Translation: I got away with my enviro-socialism schtick again - these hayseeds are such hicks I can tell ‘em anything.”

[GladesGuru]

“I’m amazed at how well-educated many Kansans are on issues about the environment and energy,” she said.”

Translation: I got away with my enviro-socialism schtick again - these hayseeds are such hicks I can tell ‘em anything.”