Since the Kansas legislature came into session, we've been waiting for the re-introduction of the Holcomb issue. As I wrote previously, the majority Republican legislators have to decide a) whether to bring up this issue again, b) how hard to pursue it, i.e., whether they will allow it to sidetrack all other legislative business as they did last year, and c) in exactly what manner to propose it.
Well, we all knew that the answer to a) was going to be yes. As for b), on the one hand they could just wait a couple of years and let Gov. Sam Brownback give them everything they want, but on the other hand it's likely that there will be some federal directives on the matter of coal power and climate change in the next little while - so boondoggle season might not last too much longer. That raises the urgency quite a bit.
As for c), we've now seen the first part of the plan:
The fight over building two coal-burning electric power plants in southwestern Kansas starts again today with a public hearing on House Bill 2182 in the House Energy and Utilities Committee.
The bill makes no mention of the proposal to build two 700-megawatt coal-fired plants near Holcomb in southwestern Kansas.
But it limits the authority of Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Roderick Bremby in a way that will require him to approve permits for the plants, according to opponents of the project.
So the issue is being split in two: first, stripping the KDHE secretary of his decision-making powers, and then at some later time pushing through the power plant plan. Of course, if Bremby doesn't have the powers that he used last year to deny the plan, then there may not have to be a second bill.
So be sure to call or write your state legislator and ask them to oppose HB 2182.
One would have to assume that Gov. Sebelius will veto this measure when (not - unfortunately - if) it passes. That's when we'll find out how much the state's business is going to be held hostage to this plant, which would pollute this state, add to global warming for all of us, but the power of which would mostly go to other states.
While we're on the subject, I'll give you a couple of organizations that are really worth checking in on if you're interested in this issue:
The Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy (GPACE) focuses on making clean energy a cornerstone of the Kansas economy. As part of this, they support disclosing all the costs (including the hidden or so-called "externalized" costs) of traditional energy generation. This is a particularly good organization to check in with if you're interested in the Holcomb issue.
Kansas Interfaith Power & Light, which I'm on the steering committee of, is the local arm of a national an organization articulating a faith-based approach to issues of climate change.