Location: Senate Chamber
Issue: Sunflower Electric’s proposed 1400 MW coal-fired plants at Holcomb
Bill No.: the measure will probably be considered as Sen Sub for HB 2919 - but it is the Senate’s version of SB 148, the second Holcomb bill, which the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee considered in an unscheduled meeting this morning
Summary/ Action: The senate version of the second Holcomb bill - the committee report on the bill was accepted by the body, but no further action was taken. The House version of the bill is high on the list for General Orders tomorrow.
Next steps: If the Senate passes this bill today, then it will await the House to pass its own version of the second Holcomb bill, SB 148 (that link takes you to CEP’s quick and dirty analysis). SB 148 has been mired in General Orders after its supposedly upgraded green provisions fell flat. CEP’s take: If by “green provisions” they mean carrots instead of sticks - and sticks have been Sunflower supporters’ dominant approach so far - then these carrots have been left in the back of the produce drawer way too long. Meaning, they are limp.
Metaphors aside. UPDATE: this all still holds true, even though the schedule is off by a day: Say the Senate passes this measure (which I imagine it will). Then the House would have to pass their version of the measure and take final action. Then the measure passes to conference committee. Since the regular session ends on Friday (thank heavens) the conference committee will be pretty zoom-zoom.
Then the House (and Senate?) would have to concur/ non-concur. If there is concurrence, the second Holcomb bill goes to the Governor to be signed or vetoed. Since it still retains all the provisions that got it vetoed the first time, odds are good that the second bill will get vetoed too.
Why two Holcomb bills? Remember that the first, SB 327, has been vetoed by the Governor. The Senate will probably vote to override it by the end of this week. The House will then have 30 days. However, having a second bill out there gives Sunflower Electric’s supporters two options during the veto session - and possibly for sine dei, which I spelled wrong and will explain later.
***************
We are now awaiting the Senate’s entry into the chambers - which was actually supposed to happen at 2:30, but is not yet. So I will take this lull to apologize to our readers… I have been too busy tracking coal drama to type up other live blogging notes! The ones from the carbon tax amendment attempt (??) should really not be lost to posterity. Nor should the ones from this morning’s Senate committee meeting.
But, they might be. And no news updates either. Sorry guys. And I have awesome wind notes from the Kingman wind forum, plus handouts and cool maps of transmission lines… news about more upcoming wind forums in Colby (April 14) and Phillipsburg (April 17), warnings about “lease hounds,” neato updates on energy efficiency, news about CEP appearing at various earth day events - but none of that will get up !!! until we slog through this next field of cow pies.
Sorry.
Anyway! Hit your refresh button now and again to check up on us. Remember the usual disclaimer of live blogging at the Kansas Statehouse: It could be a whole lot of nothing - or a whole lot of something. No way to tell.
We kick off. 2:52 p.m.
CEP live blogging from the House chamber, waiting to see if SB 148 moves onto the floor today.
March 26, 2008
SUMMARY: Nothing happened on Holcomb II, SB 148. The House Minority Leader passed over the bill today, and didn’t put it on the schedule for tomorrow. The absence of a floor debate is very, very interesting. CEP has heard rumors that the bill is stalling out. John Hanna’s article seems to confirm this, as well as other rumors about vote trading (Hays Daily News).
Also, HCR 5038 - the former baseload bill, HB 2949, which was turned into a resolution - was taken out of General Orders as well.
*****************************
11:00 a.m.
Don’t get too excited! On the House calendar, there are sixteen bills under General Orders before SB 148, the new Holcomb bill, comes up for debate on the floor. The House goes into session at 11:00.
They could get to SB 148. Or they might not. The House sergeant-at-arms seemed to think that the session could last until seven or eight tonight, with a possible recess in the middle.
Unofficially, I think I know. This is a perfect example of the Meatloaf Rule in action. Tonight, my husband was going to make meatloaf. He makes great meatloaf. (It’s my recipe and he does it better than me and I’m cool with that.) But whenever there is a House vote I am interested in, and it is a meatloaf night -
- I am late for meatloaf.
Stand by. We await the opening gavel. CRACK. I won’t blog the whole thing, I’ll just lurk and wait.
Exception. Something posted for my husband, a former Marine: Honey, Marine Sergeant Birnbaum just got honored for saving the life of Sergeant Daniel Gilyeat, the Kansas City Marine and father whose leg was blown off in Iraq (Leatherneck.com). ABC Extreme Makeover also redid Gilyeat’s family’s home last fall.
The Chamber gave Birnbaum a standing ovation for a very long time.
More of note. Rep. McLaughlan, as a veteran and Kansan, speaks on behalf of passing HSub226 - the act on funerals, stating that Kansans have a right to grieve in private at funerals, and not be harassed by hate groups - as has been happening across the nation as the Kansas-based Phelps family protests at military funerals, claiming that the war in Iraq is… well, why give that claim air time.
Bill passes unanimously.
They got thru HB 2920. We are recessed until 2:30.
Background: Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed SB 327 last Friday (aka, Holcomb I) and also issued Executive Order 08-03. That bill is awaiting a veto override attempt. It is veto-proof in the Senate but apparently not in the House.
Thus, over Easter weekend the original supporters of SB 327 put together a second vehicle for the legislation (which that would allow Sunflower Electric to build two coal-fired electric generation plants whose carbon dioxide emissions would come to eleven million tons per year).
This morning in the House Committee on Energy and Utilities, a Senate bill was gutted - House Substitute for SB 148 (hereafter SB 148 or Holcomb II, because I refuse to type all that every single time) - and the vetoed bill SB 327 was thrown back into the SB 148 vehicle. Again, the bill was passed with no hearings, no presentations by experts, and it passed out of committee with minimal discussion.
There are four major new provisions - (1) nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide emissions limits for the Sunflower plants, (2) a retail wind tariff that would subject purchasers of wind power to the status of interruptible power users, (3) energy efficiency, and (4) requiring utilities (except for munis) to create voluntary programs for businesses to carry out greenhouse gas emissions inventories. I’ll discuss these provisions further below.
The apparent reasoning for resubmitting a vetoed bill with these particular changes: My assumption is that these provisions are to try and make it more palatable. Some of the criticisms of SB 327 were that its green provisions were not in fact green.
To define green a little better in this context, green would at least have to mean a fair, balanced, comprehensive, and long-term energy policy for the state of Kansas as a whole, one that also prepares us to face - even take advantage of - a carbon regulated world, where greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced significantly.
Following this reasoning, these new provisions should probably try to approach this standard.
Let’s see how they do.
Legislative Updates: Nope, you didn’t just imagine that
March 24, 2008
Yep! A thirty-seven page bill - Holcomb II, why don’t we call it, aka House Substitute for Senate Bill 148 - just passed the House Energy and Utilities Committee with a minimum of discussion, no testimony, no presentations by experts, and with far-reaching consequences for any hope of a comprehensive, long-term Kansas energy policy. It passed the Committee by a 10-7 vote, with one member who left the room at a crucial moment. CEP covered the committee meeting (note, not a hearing) this morning. No, it is not our policy to name names in (non)voting situations.
The bill is not online yet - this is another gut-and-go (I’m starting to feel so cool, using legislative slang like I actually know what it means). SB 148 is a bill that at one time in its life, made it past the Senate Committee and chamber, but never made it out of the House Committee. So it has been hanging around, waiting for a new life…
… and it got this one! Since it passed Committee, it will have to be read into the House record before the House can take action. If the House passes the bill, the Senate doesn’t have to mess with it, it will just go straight to conference committee. Then back to House and Senate floors for final votes to send to the Governor (but no amendments are possible at that juncture).
And now here is a break in the action - MH is going to take some time, sit down with the new bill, let it sink in, and post more later. If you’d like to read that statement to mean I am also going to pick the brains of much smarter people than I - please feel free.
Look for a more “content-rich” post later in the day. Right now, I have 37 pages of fun.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
Don’t get too excited. It’s Monday a.m., I am dreadfully short on brain juice, and may have no idea what I am talking about. Easter really takes it out of me.
But if I’m not too out of it, I did hear scuttlebutt (isn’t that a great word?) saying that this was the time and the place for the Holcomb bill to be introduced.
If not, we’ll just fake our way thru it, right? And I’ll catch up with the bill, wherever it is, later today. Anyway, this Committee never lacks for interesting material. Speaking of the Committee, we await their presence. Hit refresh on your browser to check back in when need be. Kick-off is at 9:00 a.m. (I think).
Members include: Representatives Johnson, Flora, Mast, Sloan, Long, Moxley, Faust-Goudeau, Swanson, Proehl, Keuther (Ranking Minority), Holmes (Chair), Olson (Vice Chair), Svaty, McLachlan, Fund, Knox, Hawk, Light, Neighbor, Morrison, and Myers.
Lots of people here. Lots of chat. Like a cocktail party with no drinks. Not even coffee. Same room circulation patterns, though, you know how it works. It always amazes me that these folks are up, dressed very nicely and everything matches, and functional enough to politic - all at this hour of the morning. At any hour really. I stand in awe. I can look halfway decent and type, but that’s about it.
Chairman Holmes has entered the room.
But… we are still waiting. Oh well. There is always a reason, even if I never know what that reason is. They do have a quorum.
Here we go.
News Update: New Holcomb/ energy bill?
March 21, 2008
This has been rumored, and the Hutch News asks the question straight out - is a new Holcomb bill in the wings?
Looks like there could be. SB 327, the original measure allowing Sunflower Electric to build its proposed 1400 MW coal-fired plant, is on the Governor’s desk and will probably be vetoed by the end of today. Apparently, supporters of the bill will try to wait until the last minute to go for an override, which probably means that it lacks the votes to make the override successful.
What new coal bill could possibly pass this legislature in a veto-proof fashion…? That is an excellent question. I am sitting here trying to figure that out myself. Just like SB 327 (and its companion HB 2066) its provisions are being drafted in secret (which wasn’t a really popular move the first time around), so, who knows. Supposedly, this new measure will be more green.
Hmm. Having sat through all the votes and conference committees, I have to say my impression was that a good chunk of our legislature did consider SB 327 to be green. Even edgily so. They gave it very reluctant support in some cases. However, that same bill struck other folks - quite powerfully - as not green at all, just green-washed, and barely so at that.
This is a pretty significant difference of opinion.
However, it could happen. Although I cannot imagine how in the world they could come up with a bill that offsets the eleven million tons of carbon dioxide that those plants would produce in one year, and also takes into account how those two plants would burden the entire state under a future scenario of carbon regulation, like cap-and-trade. I also don’t see how it can ever be okay to strip the Secretary of KDHE of his power to protect the health and environment of Kansas. I do think it is possible that the drafters could come up with a statewide energy solution, instead of a single bill tailored to one financially challenged company.
The Hutch article mentioned that the recent KDHE/ Westar agreement might be one potential model for a compromise. One significant difference between Westar and Sunflower Electric, though, is that Westar said they weren’t going to build any coal-fired generation in the near future, but rather were going to pursue energy efficiency and wind as a way to reduce and meet load growth until construction of baseload generation was more feasible.
Again, though, anything is possible. What is probable is that this fight will drag on till the last dang ditch. (And that SB 327 could also be hauled back out for an override vote at the last minute.) Quotable from the article:
Sunflower spokesman Steve Miller acknowledged there’s talk of another bill.
“That’s where it is at this point.”
The company won’t walk away if the governor vetoes the initial bill today, he said.
“We’ll be here till this place closes down.”
The thing is, with the Holcomb bill gumming up the works - this place has in effect already closed down. Forget health care reform, forget incentives for renewable energy, forget any other initiative - right now in Kansas, it’s all about coal.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
hi all. just some follow-up on yesterday’s live blogging of the second House floor vote on the Holcomb energy bill, the vote that sent the bill to the governor. We now await her promised veto.
The final vote was 75 to 47. 3 representatives were absent. It would take 84 for a veto. I have heard all sorts of convincing theories on both sides - that this vote is really significant, to that it means noting at all. I guess we’ll see.
Here’s how they voted. As always, check for your legislator’s name, then contact them to give them either your support and/or constructive criticism. That goes for anyone. I know from my email that we have a lot of different perspectives reading this blog - 
hey. You’re all welcome to add your voice. (Even if it sometimes means hollering in my ear.) You can find your representative by checking here. The Senate Roster is here and the House Roster is here, and these lists contain their contact info.
Votes to approve the conference committee report and send the bill to governor: Beamer, Bethell, Bowers, Brown, Brunk, Burgess, Carlson, Colyer, Craft, Crum, Dahl, Donohoe, Faber, Feuerborn, Fund, Gatewood, George, Goico, Gordon, Grange, Grant, Hayzlett, Hill, Hodge, Holmes C, Holmes M, Horst, Huebert, Humerickhouse, Johnson, Kelley, Kelsey, Kiegerl, King, Kinzer, Knox, Light, Mast, Masterson, McKinney, McLeland, Merrick, Morrison J, Moxley, Myers, Neufeld, O’Neal, Olson, Otto, Owens, Palmer, Patton, Pauls, Peterson, Phelps, Powell, Powers, Proehl, Rhoades, Roth, Ruff, Schroeder, Schwartz, Shultz, Siegfreid, Sloan, Swanson, Tafanelli, Vickrey, Watkins, Whitham, Wilk, Williams, Wolf B, Yoder
Votes against the bill: Ballard, Burroughs, Carlin, Colloton, Crow, Davis, Dillmore, Faust-Goudeau, Flaharty, Flora, Frownfelter, Garcia, Goyle, Hawk, Henderson, Henry, Holland, Huntington, Kuether, Landwehr, Lane, Loganbill, Long, Lukert, Mah, McCray-Miller, McLachlan, Menghini, Metsker, Morrison J., Neighbor, Peck, Pottorff, Quigley, Rardin, Ruiz, Spalding, Storm, Svaty, Swenson, Tietze, Treaster, Trimmer, Ward, Winn, Wolk K, Worley
Not present: Aurand, Sawyer, Wetta
To compare the earlier House vote on the bill, check here.
It always warms my heart to click on the blog stats and see how many people follow these links. Yay for a constructively engaged citizenry!
Also, some very helpful people have been forwarding me their email correspondence with their legislators on the Holcomb topic. Please feel free to do this. I’ll keep it all and maybe centralize the legislators’ responses into one main file at some point, if there is interest.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
Hello again. Wow. Long day. Sitting up here in the House gallery, awaiting the House vote on whether or not to accept SB 327, the Holcomb/ energy compromise bill. Will there be drama? Will there be anticlimax? Unknown. I’m too tired to go out in the hall and listen to the gossip right now. Even if I did, we still wouldn’t know.
Sitting here in a stupor, I decided to check blog stats - and, whoa! within the last hour, two entries are going thru the roof (our happy little CEP smallfriendlyblog roof). The final House vote on the measure, and the final Senate vote. Folks, what you are probably looking for is this entry, which contains links to the complete vote count for both.
Moments like these, I really wish I had the time to go back and spellcheck. And link to House and Senate journal entries for those days (they are so interesting…) but. Probably not going to happen.
We await the representatives. They are now caucusing. What should happen today? If I understand the procedure aright, the representatives can say yes or no, that they love it or hate it, but there can be no amendments from the floor at this juncture.
Will the vote splits from the first vote change? Dunno. Smarter people than I are speculating wildly on same right now, and I’d be foolish to even guess. I suppose that it could be argued that this vote might be indicative of whether the measure has become veto-proof yet. However, I bet there is also some form of an argument that goes the other way.
While we are waiting, here’s a snippet from Sarah Kessinger on how the conference committee went earlier in the day (Hays Daily News). Some interesting quotes. Ooo. And an interesting editorial from the Hawver report on the connection between campaign finance votes and the coal bill (Kansan.com). Also, while I am mentioning it, an editorial from the Salina Journal on an upcoming energy seminar with local legislators, and the need to learn more about coal. (The seminar is co-sponsored by the Land Institute, CEP’s parent organization.) Quotables:
It should matter to you how our representatives are voting on Sunflower Electric’s plan to build two coal-fired power plants near Holcomb.
Are they obstructionists standing in the way of a $3.6 billion jolt to the state’s economy and a reliable, safe energy source for years to come? Or, are they deluding themselves if they truly believe that dumping millions of tons of CO2 into the air won’t have long-term, life-threatening consequences for Kansas and the planet?
If you plan to base your support for Sen. Pete Brungardt and Reps. Deena Horst, Charlie Roth and Josh Svaty, in part, on how they’re voting on this issue, here’s your chance to question them.
No, we’re not scientists. We’re ordinary citizens trying to make the right decisions for our state. Saturday’s forum provides a great chance to question our legislators, gain some knowledge, and just maybe influence Kansas’ energy future.
Yeah baby! Investigate, question, learn. Then go talk about it. The CEP mantra. We want to facilitate an active, informed citizenry getting involved in climate and energy issues, including engaging on the political level, and creating a broad public conversation. Yes, that is the sort of thing one writes in a grant application - but in this case it also happens to be true.
Is this thing going to start soon…? The room is filling, but slowly. Some key figures are not visible on the floor , at least not from my cherry seat in the gallery.
CRACK! Gavel. House comes to order. Clerk reads. Chairman Holmes is standing by up front, papers in hand. Senate agreement to agree-to-disagree is read. Holmes presents conference committee report on HB 327. He mentions that it now includes a balloon (of KCPL language), as well as its other contents. He stands for questions on report.
Rep Kuether - she thanks the conference committee for their participation. Lots of meetings Very collegial, despite differences. She opposes the conference committee report. It left the committee a whole lot less green than when it arrived, and it didn’t get any better. It is dangerous also to set these precendents for Bremby, restrciting his authority. The grass is greener somewhere else, but right now that is not in Kansas.
Final action - wait, no. Holmes moves they adopt. Now final action. MH does not have Eileen, so can’t take names, sorry, but they should be in journal tomorrow (I think).
Hmm. Rep.Flora did not get chance to make his comment.
Explanations of votes and changes.
Rep. Flora - In regards to mercury part of bill, mh understanding is that it only affects new plants. The amendment I made on floor had to do with all plants. This is a very low standard. I don’t know why it has been changed. I just wanted body to be aware of that.
Rep. Sloan - brings up his statement. clerk reads it. He changed his vote to yes. Statement will be in journal tomorrw.
Rep. Holmes explains vote. Clerk reads. Will be in journal tomorrow.
Ayes - 75. Noes - 47. Abstain - 3. (MH - these votes have flipped a litle bit as I have updated. Check official records for final tally)
It passes. Does not appear to be veto-proof - (they would need 84) although who knows. it is possible that some folks might not change vote until the last minute.
Adjourned.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
CEP live blogging, week of March 3-7
March 3, 2008
Hi all. The legislature is on “turn-around” right now, so we are enjoying a bit of a breather. Actually, we’re not - CEP is moving offices, which I would not describe as relaxing. But we are on a slight breather re the live blogging.
So far, the live blogging plan for the week, once the Kansas Legislature is back in session:
Wednesday - House Select Committee on Energy and Environment for the Future (HSCEEF) will “brief” regarding HB 2949, the pro-nuclear and anti-natural gas bill which was introduced thru a blessed committee last week - 784 Docking, at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday -
House Energy and Utilities Committee, meeting at 9:15 in 783 Docking, agenda TBA.(EDIT: Meeting canceled.) HSCEEF, second briefing on nuclear power/ HB 2949, and costs of new nuclear power plants - 784 Docking, 1:30 p.m.Friday - this will depend on what bills are introduced onto the House or Senate floor, which we won’t really know until the week gets underway. And/or it will depend on when the Holcomb/ energy bill makes a comeback into conference committee.
Next week - the schedule is up in the air, except for one sure thing - several organizations from all around KS have decided to get together for a Clean Energy Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 11. CEP has also decided to participate.
On the federal level, there is apparently a possibility of some interesting legislation being introduced from Representative Waxman’s committee (Government Oversight and Reform) next week. Waxman initiated the investigation of the RUS program of the USDA, which is the agency that helps rural electric cooperatives such as Sunflower Electric finance coal-fired power plants.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
CEP live blogging from conference committee on Holcomb bill, Day 3
February 28, 2008
Hi all. Here we all are again! It’s starting to feel like a family. Weirdly.
The room is much less full than it has been. Wait, no! More have found the meeting. Just to review the cast of characters - Senators Emler (R), Apple (R), and Lee (D), and Representatives Holmes (R), Olsen (R), Kuether (R). The topic at issue is of course the Senate and House talking about the Holcomb/ energy bill, and how to resolve their two very different versions.
Emler begins. They are picking up where they left off, talking about the commission and a possible compromise thereof. Now they are passing out papers (I usually leave this part out. But there is a LOT of passing out papers at these things. A lot.)
Holmes responds. Changing some details about appointees and staffing, how to get researchers, support.
Senate side steps out into hall to talk about it. They decide not to accept the part about taking the Chairman off and putting Vice-Chairs on. The Chairmen of Energy and Utilities stay on. They agree to the rest, and leave that undecided for now.
They debate where to go now. Final bill will be 327 (that’s new). Now back on vehicles, energy efficiency provisions. Lee says the criteria are too contingent on price of gas, which might fluctuate and go down (?).
Silence. Anything else on this provision they need to discuss? Paper flutters.
news update
February 25, 2008
Happy Monday. Today will be a bit long for the CEP blog. The House Energy and Utilities Committee meets at 9:15 to go over a net metering bill that is not limited to solar; Rev. Thad Holcomb will offer the prayer for the opening of the House session at 11:00; and the conference committee on the Holcomb (hey! we have an amazing naming coincidence going on here) bill meets at 3:30. I will be at that one if (a) my fingers still work, and (b) I can figure out where it is.
John Hanna’s article (picked up in Business Week) is about as comprehensive a summary of what’s currently going on with the Holcomb bill as you could possibly wish for. Just to cherry-pick some good stuff, Westar has come out with a very interesting position:
Meanwhile, Westar Energy Inc., the state’s largest electric utility, released a comprehensive energy policy that said the link between greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and global warming has become a “mainstream belief” requiring “fundamental change” in energy production.
Westar’s full policy can be found here (.pdf).
Interesting documentary on the recent rise of the creation care movement (Boston Globe). That film may not ever make it to Kansas, but that is why we have Netflix.
Kansas schools are getting into wind power (Hays Daily News). KDHE Secretary Rod Bremby spoke in Salina over the weekend, defending his decision to deny the permits for the proposed Holcomb expansion (Salina Journal). Quotable:
He pointed out that since January 2003, his office has approved 2,900 air quality permits, including 179 since his decision involving the coal plants.
“There’s never been any uncertainty,” he said. “There’s only been one denial.”
While Bremby didn’t expect his decision to be popular, he didn’t realize how many legislative leaders say they don’t believe in climate change.
“I’ve been stunned,” he said. “I understand that people have their own individual beliefs, but what about the National Academy of Sciences?”
He listed some of the other organizations that agree humans are accelerating climate change — the Geological Society of America, the American Geophysical Union, the American Institute of Physics, the American Meteorological Society.
“These are the top scientists in the nation,” he said.
And I keep seeing little articles like this one pop up all over the KS media - constituents all over the state are coming to see their legislators at gatherings like this one reported on in the Hutch News. Yes! Yay! Go. Get involved. Whatever your perspectives on climate and energy issues, get involved in the conversation.
Finally, regarding manure. Of more than one variety. Reprinted from I believe the Wichita Eagle, this letter to the editor:
State Senator Tim Huelskamp and Representative Don Myers have become fond of stating that CO2 can’t be a pollutant, because we breathe it all the time.
True, CO2 is essential for plant life. But so is manure. And every farmer knows that too much manure kills plants. If any of us were sealed in a small space capsule for a few days, the CO2 we exhale would become so concentrated that CO would form, and death would result. I suspect that neither Mr. Huelskamp nor Mr. Myers would disconnect the furnace or hot water tank vents in their homes, or run their car engine in a closed garage. Any of these actions would give them lots of CO2 to breathe.
The excess CO2 we generate by burning coal and other fossil fuels winds up in the ocean of air surrounding our planet, increasing the effective thickness of our greenhouse gas blanket. As the blanket becomes thicker, more solar heat is trapped, and we have global warming. To keep the 11 million tons of CO2 from the proposed Holcomb expansion from adding to global warming would require 13,000 square miles (16% of the area of Kansas) of new pine forest (per EPA).
Simply stated, “Like manure, a little CO2 is good, too much is bad.” Please, Mr. Huelskamp and Mr. Myers, let’s limit the manure and the CO2 ….Bill Wentz, Valley Center, KS.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
news updates
February 20, 2008
Siemens proposes expansion of its wind turbine manufacturing facilities in Iowa. The $33 million project would add 287 jobs paying an average of $17.14 an hour (Des Moines Register, via the Domestic Fuel blog). Siemens seeks tax credits and sales tax refunds in order to do so, financed by the Iowa Economic Development Board. Also via Domestic Fuel, a South Dakota study showed that small wind generators were better options for rural areas that lacked adequate transmission lines to install commercial wind facilities (Daily Republic, SD).
What would that model of development also require? A meaningful net metering policy that includes wind - without this policy option, rural communities are severely limited in their ability to become more energy independent.
Led by Duke Energy, “U.S. utilities are focusing on energy efficiency to lessen the need to build new power plants while they await what they see as inevitable carbon regulation, executives said at the four-day CERA conference in Houston that ended on Friday” (Reuters). Quotable:
Uncertainty over the form and cost of regulation of carbon dioxide emissions has many utility executive hedging their bets on new power plants while consumer conservation programs are viewed as a safe way to give consumers more tools to control energy consumption in the face of rising costs.
Conservation programs are the “fifth fuel,” according to Duke Energy Chairman Jim Rogers, and “should be ‘job one’ while the politicians debate.”
I was unfortunately drinking tea over my keyboard when I read the following from columnist Kathy Moore in the Hutch News: “Take Aspirin Before Tackling Energy Information.” (My thoughts exactly.) Moore does a very good job of reviewing the morass of facts that one faces when figuring out climate and energy issues, and concludes:
If there is a bottom line in this informational abyss, it would be that all decisions must be made carefully, giving consideration to the far-reaching consequences they may invite. It is not a task to be taken lightly, so we must hope that our elected state representatives will exercise caution and wisdom while keeping an eye to a brighter future for Kansas.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
Holcomb energy bill, to date - and who voted how
February 20, 2008
A few of our readers have asked (okay, begged) for an entry simply giving a quick overview of the legislative journey of the Holcomb bill.
Thanks to a friend and good citizen who prefers to remain publicly unthanked for guiding me through the procedural morass, I am fairly well able to do this. For those of you who are interested in reading the CEP live blog coverage of the Holcomb legislation in full, just click on the “Holcomb Hearings 2008″ category in the column to your right. When the drama is over, CEP also hopes to put together a spreadsheet of some sort showing different versions of the bill, plus votes and explanatory statements from your legislators.
However, before you read further, one major point - all sorts of other powers are calling your legislator and making their own preferences known on this legislation. They are doing this on an ongoing basis. As a citizen, you need to make your voice heard on an ongoing basis, too.
So - no matter what your opinion is on these measures, keep in contact with your legislator (you can find your legislator thru www.kslegislature.org, and their contact info thru the House Roster and Senate Roster). This legislation will be voted on at least one more, possibly two more times.
The results of the recorded votes so far are listed at the end of this entry. Say thank you and offer support if you like their vote; express your feelings if you do not. For tips on how to work with your legislator, check out this section of the CEP main website.
*************
On Jan. 30, SB 515 and HB 2711 were introduced, each into their respective chamber’s Committee on Energy and Utilities. The bills were identical, and included a wide range of energy initiatives. Opinions differed widely on whether those provisions were effective, or just a cover for building the coal-fired plants. Governor Sebelius reacted very negatively to the proposals, and wrote an open letter regarding her own compromise on Holcomb.
Beginning February 4, the Legislature held four days of Committee hearings simultaneously in both House and Senate (CEP live blog coverage of the House testimony - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4). On Day 5, a little bit of drama occurred, which resulted in the House Committee not working the bill but the Senate going ahead with their version.
The Senate gutted SB 515, removing everything (carbon tax, mitigation, energy efficiency, etc.) except for the Holcomb provisions, the regulatory section regarding KDHE, and nominal net metering for solar. They then dumped this language into HB 2066. This “gut and go” was a procedural strategy to help them move the bill more quickly through the legislative process.
Lo and behold, the House decided to work their version of the bill after all. They went the opposite direction of the Senate and bulked up HB 2711 with many amendments, including an Renewable Portfolio Standard and a proposed commission on science and technology in energy and climate issues. Rep. Tom Sloan offered the latter amendment, explaining that a good chunk of Kansans did not trust the legislature as a whole to act properly on these issues.
Hi all. Maril and Eileen here. To recap: yesterday in a preliminary vote the House voted to pass their version of the Holcomb/ energy bill. It did not appear to be veto-proof.
Today, when the session opens at 11:00, they are taking final action on the bill: holding a final vote (which means many of them might take an opportunity to explain their votes, which will be recorded in the House Journal for today), and assigning a conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
The two bills are pretty different, but maybe those differences will be overcome. Who knows. The Senate has already assigned their members of the conference committee: Senators Emler, Apple, and Lee (the Senate Committee on Energy and Utilties Chairman, Vice-Chair, and ranking minority member). Hopefully CEP will be able to figure out when the conference committee will be meeting and attend those meetings if they are public.
Today there is quite a gathering of folks wearing GPACE stickers waiting outside the House chambers, urging House members to vote no on the bill.
So. We await! Chamber is filling. Reps. are talk talk talking. Gallery is somewhat full, but not as full as yesterday.
11:00 a.m.
Session opens. Chaplain prays. Pledge of Allegiance said. And they all start talking again. Rumor is, plenty of the Reps. are sick, apparently with this flu going around. But they are here today.
The Grizzlies of Butler Community College are recognized for being awesome in football and winning their 2007 division championship. The team is here today.
Clerk goes thru some of of the detail work. Everyone talks while she does. A few motions on concurrences. Messages from Senate. Some votes.
Final action on H Sub for SB 327, the House incarnation of the Holcomb/ energy bill.
Votes recorded. Explanations of bill.
Rep. ??? - I was raised with democratic values to stand up with working people… to not raise the rates of poor people…. not to care about the values of gas companies that want to back up wind power that will not do the job…
Rep. Kuether - No vote. Her district is interested in real net metering and renewables, and the good things in the original bill got cut out.
news update
February 18, 2008
Today’s live blogging from the House floor vote on Holcomb set almost the all-time record for CEP blog hits in one day. The last time we got that many, it was because a national information networking site had picked up an entry and linked to us. This time, I am betting a very big chunk of our readers came from in state.
International and national news. At an investor summit at the United Nations headquarters, the warning went out that the climate change crisis could be the next subprime meltdown to sandbag the global economy (Financial Post). Quotable:
Many oil producers, utilities and manufacturing plants have yet to factor in the added expense if the United States - as is expected in the next few years - imposes caps on carbon-dioxide emissions. Similarly, many companies with big real-estate holdings in U.S. coastal regions haven’t calculated their exposure to increased tropical storms and rising seas.
Most of the financial institutions that lend to these companies and the insurance companies that protect them also have yet to adequately consider how they might get burned.
Do you like podcasts? Then check out last Friday’s (15 February) episode of Science Friday, where a panel considered how to get science and policy to better work together, including in the realm of climate science. To listen, hit the “play” button at the top left of the page. Also, worried about your TV gulping energy? Check out these new requirements from EnergyStar. Anytime you buy something that plugs in, try and make sure it is EnergyStar rated. Interested in how the military can use renewable energy? Check out this article on mobile power grids.
Kansas stuff. Salina Journal reporter Duane Schrag looks further into the algae reactor concept proposed by Sunflower, and finds the concept is lacking in practical applicability. Lawrence Rep. Paul Davis found Sunflower’s bribe, I mean offer! to fund K-State Research & Extension for $250K per year if the Sunflower plant was approved, to be in questionable taste (LJWorld).
The Wichita Eagle (plus others) conclude that the House doesn’t have the votes to make its passage of the Holcomb bill veto-proof (AP/ John Hanna). The final vote is tomorrow, then the bill goes to conference committee.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
CEP live blogging from House floor, the House incarnation of the Holcomb bill (House Sub for SB 327)
February 18, 2008
Morning! No, I have no idea what will happen in this floor vote today. I’ve heard a range of theories, from a whole lot of nothing will happen (no debate, simple concurrence with the Senate bill voted on last week), to a whole lot of something happening (amendments flying in from every direction).
We shall just quietly sit and record. You can also listen in live here. If anyone has the capacity to capture the live stream in mp3 or other format, please feel free. Also, we (Maril and Eileen) plan on sticking around this afternoon for the House Select Committee on Energy and Environment in the Future meeting at 1:30 p.m. I think that 784 Docking might be one of the few committee rooms wired for sound ??? (check under Committees at www.kslegislature.org) so perhaps that meeting can be captured as well.
Finally, for those of you who were thinking that this whole shebang wasn’t crazy enough yet, apparently yet another Holcomb-esque bill, SB 630, was introduced on Friday by the Senate Utilities Committee. It is identical in goal to the other two (one of which is already passed thru the Senate, and the one today is before the House) - just minus those pesky carbon offset sections.
No, I am not making this up. I couldn’t. My imagination pales in comparison to that of whomever is in charge of directing this particular policy initiative. If you really want your brain to boggle, keep in mind that although the original HB 2711 and SB 515 were thrown under other bill numbers in order to expedite their passage through the process- those bills aren’t dead yet. They are still alive, waiting in the wings, and they too could boomerang back at any time.
Hang in there. We will be back around 10:00 a.m., when either the circus or the anticlimax kicks off. It’s really not unlike the horror/ anticipation of preparing for a blind date.
10:00 a.m.
Gallery is packed. Plenty of 4-H. Floor is full. The representatives get to have coffee on the floor, but we don’t get it up in the gallery - but then, no one elected us gallery folk into being here. If you survive a political campaign, you probably deserve to have your coffee on the floor. Just don’t spill.
Eileen shows me a full color 8×12 that was abandoned in the Women’s Restroom, with no logo but with lots of talk about sound energy policy and supporting this bill. In the words of one rep (via forwarded email), House is “overrun with vote yes people putting the pressure on.”
CEP live blogging from the Senate - final vote on H.B. 2066
February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine’s Day.
The final vote on substituted House Bill 2066 (for original Senate bill 515) is today. You can also listen online at http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-legisportal/listen.do.
As I listen to people talk, the issue today seems to be not really whether the bill will pass - it seems to be expected to - but whether it will be passed by a veto-proof margin, which is 27 Senators.
Coming up next week, the House will work its own very different version of the Holcomb/ energy bill on Monday or Tuesday.
2:37 p.m.
President calls the Senate to order. Roll is called. Chaplain prays. Pledge of Allegiance takes place.
Sen. Pine (Douglas County) introduces his pages, mentions one from Eudora. One of his pages, Hannah Cobb? Copt? was the model for the Eudora centennial statue that went up last year - the sculptor was Jim Brothers.
Sen Barnett from Lyons - welcomes his special guests, nursing students from Emporia
Introduction of bills and current resolutions takes place. (MH is going to leave these bill numbers out, okay… as well as a lot of the other miscellanea.)
Motions to concur or non-concur entertained.
Vote on 2066 -
roll call. Some speak out and explain their votes.
Barnett votes aye, explains. Recognizes trade off in energy policy. ststes there is need for cnservation and clean energy. Now is the time to drive debate for a comprehensive state energy policy that does not rely on foregin countries, a previous policy that has resulted in countries that hate our nation. To further debate and discussion of these issues, I vote aye.
Francisco - she votes no on 2066. A great deal of energy has been expended on this legislation without a compormise. This bill allows any number of new coal plants to be built. This bill did not encourage or require mitigations. The CO2 restrictions failed in face of economic development worries. The bill also limits KDhe Sec ability to protect citizens against global warming, but does not take steps to protect them thru legislature. It promotes electrical deregulation. It leaves us with signfiicant carbon footprint, but without way for reduction.
Another no - missed who it was.
Huelskamp votes aye, explains - this is the first step forward down path of energy innovation, energy security, regulatory certainty for entire state and nation
Johnson - voted ??? aye - this is a big issue, big bill, this is forward looking bill. Innovative bioenergy development, lots of economic development, lower energy costs. This helps us on first step forward toward cmprehensive energy policy for Kansas.
Journey - aye. Joins Johnson’s remarks.
Kelly - no, joins Francisco in her remarks.
Lee - aye and joins Johnson.
McGinn - pass
Morris - this bil is first step toward securing Kansas energy security. Holcomb will be one of cleanest burning coal plants in the world. Wind power also viable, so we need transmission lines. Holcomb will help with that. Future of energy industry also requires conservation and other renewables, plus coal. This will also bring back regulatory certainty in Kansas.
Oskemyer - aye - Kansas is sunflower state, and if this passes we will be a lot brighter tomorrow
(BTW, MH is not counting all votes - just the ones where senators explain their vote)
Scholdorf? - no - We have some of the cleanest air in the country, and we must keep it so. We have rushed this legislation thru the senate and we are doing things in the wrong sequence. Senate shoudl develop comprehensive plan for Kansas, and then develop policy accordingly. We are getting ahead of ourselves by prmitting coal plant.
Steineger - no - Humans need coal. But as environmntalist, I have to find cleaner coal methods. I support more efficient use of coal. This bill does not challenge or incent us to do that.
Wysong - no
Getz? from Sedgwick - no - Kansas energy policy neds to be balanced consistent and fair - fair to the people regarding health and environent, and fair to business. This bill does nto do that. I would be more comfortable with aletnerative energy - geothermal, solar, hydro - if we are to honor Kansas Health Foundation peldge to make Kansas best lace to raise child, we ust make Kansas a better place.
McGinn - also Sedgewick - in turmoil over vote - last fall Kansas had started discussion on energy future and independence, looked at renewableenergy. I hope this debate continues. I think there shodl be other ting sin this bill. Lots of education needs to happen - not just of this body or the other chamber - but in understanding energy afforability, efficiency, renewables,and that need to go to the populatio. But becuase of regulatory uncertainty I vote yes on the bill. Better for business. We want to do what is right for environment but we also want to play by the rules so we need regulatory certainty. I hope the energy discussion doesn’t end with this session.
Senator Kelly, from Goodwin - aye
Sen Bradley - aye on 2066 - o those concerned about environment, this bill is a commentary on how green Kansas is or is not. Some are worried about economic development. Some want reliable energy. I voted on economic development and growth. Holcomb provides the growth. We need to set aside the politics and move forward.
Sen… heck. missed it. but it is an aye
Vote tally - ayes - 33. Noes - 7. HB 2066 passes.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
news updates, highjacking, and the wisdom of Alan Jackson
February 14, 2008
From allamericanpatriots.com, hunters and fishermen move to the front line of the fight against global warming. (Yes, those crazy, radical hunters.) One of the policy options they are calling for is a cap-and-trade system. Quotable, from Larry Schweiger, President & CEO, National Wildlife Federation.
“It has been impossible to ignore the changes happening before our eyes – you don’t need to be a scientist to feel that something is seriously wrong. As a grandfather who looks forward to a time when I can fish with my grandson, I strongly believe we must work together to preserve America’s sporting traditions for our children’s future.”
“This is not a matter of liberal versus conservative,” said Simon Roosevelt, sportsman and great-great grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt. “And it’s not about being red or blue—or even green. It’s a matter of common sense. It’s about the future.”
Also, from the Wall Street Journal Environmental Capital blog (I know. I get my information from such wacky, out there sources) - another large bank is reconsidering financing for coal plants. Bank of America has started considering “the cost of carbon-dioxide emissions into its decisions about whether to underwrite debt for new coal-fired plants. Specifically, the bank says it anticipates a federal cap that would require a utility to pay between $20 and $40 for every ton of CO2 its power plants emit. Today in Europe, which already has imposed caps, a permit to emit a ton of CO2 is trading at about $29.”
Highjacking. What do I mean by that - I mean how I feel when I sit down to write this blog every morning, and find myself facing yet another giant digital dogpile of articles on coal. Many of them on Kansas and coal. It’s a little bit of how I feel when I wander into yet another room at the Capitol complex in Topeka and listen to yet another blessed coal debate.
CEP live blogging from the Senate - floor debate on H.B. 2066
February 13, 2008
Just a Kansan moment before we get started here - you wouldn’t believe how beautiful the Senate chambers are, after the renovation. Worth every penny. The columns especially are really marvelous. I took a few pictures with my phone and will try to remember to upload and post them. Someone please remind me if I forget.
Quick note: I will stay here as long as I can. However, live blogging could run headlong into domestic life. The Senate has lots going on today, and I just hope they get to this bill before I have to leave. I’ll still do what I can to make the democratic process more accessible, before I have to get home for dinner.
(Actually, I believe you can also listen in live at this link: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-legisportal/listen.do )
2:30 p.m.
Senate is called to order and roll is taken. Chaplain prays (in part, he asked that we could have the patience of Job to get thru this session, hmm), pledge of allegiance declared, special guests introduced. Senator ??? announces birth of his two new granddaughters! numbers 16 and 17. Wow.
Introduction of bills and concurrent resolutions. Read into record.
Messages from the House read into record.
The pages are figuring out where they need to go.
Holcomb/ energy bill - or, what the heck just happened (again)
February 13, 2008
Recap on yesterday - what exactly happened in the House Energy and Utilities Committee as they worked HB 2711, which they dumped into Senate bill 327 (another gut and go occurred, just like in the Senate on Monday when they dumped a stripped down SB 515 into HB 2066 (.pdf), which is being debated on the Senate floor this afternoon). Bremby was speaking in the Senate at the same time as the House Committee met, actually, so I did miss that (LJWorld). Oh for a clone.
Before getting into the details, just the broad strokes: Two very different things have happened with what were originally identical bills. The Senate stripped out everything but permission to build Holcomb, regulatory restrictions on KDHE, and net metering for solar. In effect, they created a stick. The House did strip some things (see below) but in effect they dumped in everything but the kitchen sink, trying to create a carrot.
Now - is the stick a real stick - or if it is used, can it be guaranteed that the entire state of Kansas won’t end up knocking itself upside the head instead of just clobbering KDHE? And is that carrot really something you want in your mouth? Those are some of the decisions that your state government now faces.
To summarize yesterday, since the transcript was long and the hearing got pretty interesting in parts: Well over 20 new amendments were tacked on to the House bill (and the revised language might be online by this afternoon). The permission to build Holcomb is still in there, as in the regulatory language re KDHE, and the solar net metering (although slightly changed).
Some of the more interesting amendments:
The regulatory restrictions on KDHE were eased slightly, with the goal of not making Kansas an non-compliant state under the federal Clean Air Act. If this occurred, EPA standards would take over. The federal Clean Air Act currently allows states discretion in some of what Kansas enforces. If the legislation made KS strictly compliant with all federal standards, then KS would have to enforce the entire act.
Most of the energy efficiency requirements for schools are out.
A big chunk of the original mitigation is out (most of Sections 10-12). However, “affected facilities” are now - required? strongly urged? - to use “available best practices” of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Who are these facilities, exactly, how does one define best practices… dunno. There seems to be some debate.
There is now a nameplate Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) included. It is phrased as an incentive, not really as a requirement, since there seems to be no enforcement mechanism. Utilities (and which utilities was unclear) would have to generate 10% of their electricity portfolio from renewables by 2010 and 25% by 2025. There was also a requirement for KCC to allow an additional 1% return on investment for projects that were started with the goal of complying with the RPS. An amendment to require an 8 percent reduction in peak demand by 2010 and 20 percent by 2025 failed.
The mission of the Kansas Electrical Transmission Authority (KETA) was expanded, some say greatly.
The language that would have allowed the unintended consequence of all utilities being able to deregulate and escape the jurisdiction of the KCC was removed, although it is evidently different than the Senate version of same.
The energy commission looks totally different. The Kansas Energy Council more or less got panned as an effective body for providing policy suggestions. As a substitute, a much smaller group made up of a wide range of scientists (including climate scientists) and engineers plus one or two legislators will take over the job of providing good information on climate and energy and suggesting future energy policy. Rep. Sloan, who drafted this amendment, stated that Kansans do not currently trust their legislature to have a sound grasp on the current science.
HB 2066 hits the Senate floor later this afternoon, and CEP should hopefully be there. This morning I took a long walk with the dogs over the frozen hills of Jeff County, and managed to drink a whole cup of coffee at my desk instead of while roaring down I-70. I think I’m ready.
And before we leave, a public service announcement - tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. If you have a significant other (or parent, or grandparent, or other loved one) to whom this occasion matters, now is the time to act.
