Over the course of the last two and half years, a Kansas electrical utility, a Colorado electrical utility, and their allies in the Kansas legislature and Governor’s office have used political games to put their self-interest ahead of our state’s best interest and shut Kansans out of the decision-making about our energy and economic future.

We’ve already shown that Sunflower Electric’s proposed 895-MW coal plant isn’t about jobs, or energy needs, or exporting electricity, and that it isn’t even for Kansas. But it is important to note that this project isn’t just about the future of Western Kansas either. The harmful health effects stemming from this coal plant will affect citizens across the entire state of Kansas for generations to come.

Recently, Physicians for Social Responsibility issued a report showing that coal emissions contribute to four of the five leading causes of death in this country. That means that although Sunflower claims this plant will be the “cleanest in the country,” if it is built, Kansans will be at an increased risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, and lower respiratory diseases, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. So although Colorado is poised to get 80 percent of the energy produced by the plant, Kansas will be stuck with 100 percent of the pollution and 100 percent of the health risks.

As a result of their findings, Physicians for Social Responsibility called for an end to construction of new coal plants “so as to avoid increased health-endangering emissions of carbon dioxide, as well as other criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants.”

Through my work with GPACE, I’ve watched as hundreds of Kansans sent letters to their lawmakers and wrote letters to the editor calling for just that – the end of an era of dirty coal in our state and the chance to move forward into a prosperous clean energy future.

Our voices were ignored by too many legislators and by the current Governor when they turned a secret deal to build the first of several coal plants into state law.  But now that Sunflower has been forced to refile their air quality permit as a result of EPA’s concerns about the proposed project, we – the people of Kansas – will once again have the opportunity to voice our concerns to the agency who will ultimately be making the final decision.

When the Kansas Department of Health and Environment opens up the public comment period for Sunflower Electric’s Holcomb project, this non-partisan process will be a breath of fresh air, as Kansans will no longer have to put their faith in elected officials more concerned with re-election, partisan politics, deal-making or the needs of corporate special interests, than with good policy and the health of Kansans.

As of this writing, Sunflower Electric still had not provided all the necessary information for their permit request. When the permit application is complete and KDHE has finished their initial review, the public hearing schedule and comment period will be announced. GPACE has requested that five public hearings be scheduled to accommodate all interested parties across the state. We will alert our members as soon as the hearings and comment period have been scheduled, and we will provide details on how Kansans can participate in the hearings and provide written comments to KDHE.

In the meantime, you can start preparing for these public hearings and the public comment period by thinking about why this issue is important to you. Check out the GPACE blog archives for a comprehensive look at all of the facts surrounding this project. Talk to your friends about why they should be engaged in this issue, as well. (With 75% of Kansans opposed to this project, chances are good that you’ll meet a receptive audience!) And most importantly, be on the look out for the official details on the public comment period to be released soon.

- Kelly Jacobsen, Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy