Climate and energy

Reprinted straight from the Lawrence Journal-World, here’s the schedule for the hearings on legislation that would allow the two coal-burning plants:

Monday through Thursday before the House Energy and Utilities Committee and the Senate Utilities Committee. The House committee meetings will start at 9 a.m. in Room 313-South in the Capitol. The Senate committee meetings will start at 9:30 a.m. in Room 526-South in the Capitol. Supporters of the bills are scheduled to testify Monday and Tuesday, and opponents, Wednesday and Thursday. Committee chairmen have said they would probably have their committees vote on the measures Friday.

Also some interesting quotables from that article:

Plant backers described the bills as a compromise because they include first-time limits on carbon dioxide emissions.

But Sebelius and environmentalists weren’t buying it.

The bills strip state authority used to reject the plants, and allow enough CO2 offsets to make Kansas the “welcome mat” for coal plants nationwide, Sebelius said.

“I’m concerned about what’s in the bill, I’m concerned about what’s missing from the bill, and I’m not quite sure at the end of the day that this is good energy policy for Kansas,” Sebelius said.

Sebelius urged lawmakers to slow down and analyze the two bills because the policies included in the legislation could affect the Kansas economy and environment for generations to come.

She had offered Sunflower Electric her support of a 660-megawatt coal-fired plant, similar to one that the company proposed in 2001, to address electric needs in western Kansas. But Sunflower rejected the proposal.

Meanwhile, the chairmen of the Senate and House committees are ignoring Sebelius’ call to slow down, and proceeding full-speed ahead, with possible votes on the bills Friday. “This is what I feel is best for Kansas,” state Rep. Carl Holmes, R-Liberal, told a receptive House Republican caucus.

Holmes also has said no energy bills would be allowed to move out of his committee until the issue of the coal plants is resolved.

When told about Holmes’ comment, House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, said that was an “unfortunate” remark.

And now… time for a moment. Because it is, after all, Sunday. That said, reflect however you would like (or even not at all) – but if you are interested in watching a very short video clip on why we should lighten our impact on creation, check out the following from the Regeneration Project.

Things seem a little contentious right now, so that makes it an even better time to remember our common ground, and our shared obligation to be good stewards of our planet.

— Maril Hazlett

Want to know more about climate and energy in the Midwest? Check out www.climateandenergy.org.