Beyond Coal Kansas

In Kansas, the Beyond Coal Campaign is focused on a proposed coal plant in Western Kansas. Sunflower Electric is seeking to build an 895 MW coal plant in Holcomb, KS, which would send most of the power produced out of state. In the fall of 2007, the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment denied Sunflower Electric an air permit for two 700 MW coal plants. The Secretary expressed concerns for the project's carbon dioxide emissions, which would contribute to global warming. In the absence of federal carbon regulations, this was truly a defining moment moment for the clean energy movement. However, the state legislature would quickly launch attempts to overturn the permit denial by passing multiple bills that attempted to restrict the powers of the Secretary of KDHE. Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed four bills that attempted to force KDHE to issue Sunflower Electric a permit. Attempts to override her veto failed. Days after taking office during the 2009 legislative session, Governor Mark Parkinson unveiled a settlement agreement he had privately crafted with Sunflower Electric, which would allow the coop to build one 895 MW coal plant. However, EPA directed the state to first require Sunflower Electric to submit a permit application for the newly proposed project and hold public hearings to allow citizen input on the project. Sunflower Electric has reported they will submit a revised permit application in late 2009.