Tuesday, May 05, 2009

New Kansas governor 'splits baby' on power plants

"In a stunning reversal from his predecessor," fellow Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson has "signed an agreement ending a two-year fight over plans to build coal-fired power plants in western Kansas," writes David Klepper of the Kansas City Star. "The compromise allows Sunflower Electric Power Corp. to build one 895-megawatt coal-fired power plant near Holcomb, instead of two 700-megawatt plants that were repeatedly blocked" by Sebelius before she became President Obama's secretary of health and human services.

The deal calls for Sunflower to "build more wind turbines and agree to more pollution controls and a greater investment in energy efficiency," Klepper reports. "The game-changing deal came on Parkinson’s sixth day in office and as lawmakers were preparing yet another attempt to overrule Sebelius’ veto of legislation to authorize the plants." Still, the deal doesn't mean the plant will be built; it still must be financed, amid increased likelihood of restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. (Read more)

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