Insiders speculate that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is a hot contender for Democratic Vice Presidential candidate. Would she support initiatives that protected public health and the environment?
Indications are that she would.
Recently, Sebelius threatened to veto a bill that she says puts public health and the environment at risk. She made good on this threat, blocking the bill on March 21, 2008.
The bill would have overruled Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby’s decision to deny Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s application for an air-quality permit. It would also restrict his authority on future decisions.
State legislators are trying to get the required two-thirds majority they would need to override Governor Sebelius’ veto.
If they had received the permit, Sunflower and two out of state energy cooperative partners planned to construct two supercritical coal-fired power plants in southeast Kansas. The project is estimated to cost $3.6 billion, and Sunflower said it would provide affordable energy for the citizens of Kansas.
This did not persuade Sebelius, however, who maintained that the greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants overrode the good gained from the power the plants would produce. She said she is open to a compromise with Sunflower.
Her position on the environmental and public health impact of coal-fired power plants is a good match with both current Democratic presidential candidates.
Last fall, Sebelius wrote a public letter supporting Secretary Bremby’s denial of the permit application. In it, she said, “I am encouraged by this decision and am confident it protects the citizens of our great state. . . 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. Kansas has great opportunities in clean energy and alternative fuels.”
In addition to the obvious issues of air pollution emissions and consumption of nonrenewable resources, the federal government declared coal-fired plants “too risky” for loans due to high construction costs.
According to an Associated Press article that quoted Sierra Club spokeswoman Stephanie Cole, “…dozens of coal-fired plants were abandoned or delayed last year.”
Person Julie Pippert
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