5 in a series of 7
As the Kansas Department of Health and Environment considers the new air quality permit request for Sunflower Electric’s proposed 895mw coal-fired power plant, and before KDHE announces the schedule for public hearings, it seems like a good time to ask: Why are we still paying attention to the whole coal plant proposal?
We’re answering this basic question in a series of seven consecutive blogs/questions. Here’s the fifth.
Okay…but the coal plant will provide needed jobs and economic development to Kansas in the midst of the worst recession in recent memory. How can we say no to that?
Because it won’t – not anytime soon. It is absolutely important to create jobs and investment in this recession. But given all the regulatory, legal, and financial issues with the proposed project, construction won’t begin for at least a couple of years. So, the construction jobs won’t exist until then. How does that help Kansans now?
When they were lobbying the legislature, coal plant supporters claimed the proposed project would generate thousands of construction jobs for Kansans and as many as 400 permanent full-time jobs in the state. But here’s the fine print:
- Tri-State is driving the project, and has a long relationship with its own coal plant builder – and it isn’t a Kansas company, or a union company.
- The specialized nature of most of the construction, and the absence of many of the needed specialized laborers in Kansas, means that the vast majority of the construction jobs will go to temporary workers from out-of-state. Once construction finishes, they and their money would leave Kansas.
- Well after the settlement agreement was signed, Sunflower Electric quietly revised the projected permanent jobs figure down to 50.
- As of 2008, the Colorado utility that will own most of the plant and its power had given Sunflower Electric $46 million in direct payments, EXCLUDING the purchase of land and water rights in Kansas. We know coal plant supporters hired a small army of lobbyists and lawyers (many from out of state) and bought a bunch of paid advertising to sell the project, but how many jobs has the coal plant created in Kansas with all that money in the midst of this recession?
While Kansas needed jobs and economic development, coal plant supporters blocked or slowed needed transmission and other energy investments that could have put Kansans to work. In fact, in the midst of the worst recession in recent memory Sunflower and their allies forced Kansas to say “no” to critical jobs, investment, and revenue from native Kansas fuels and the booming renewable energy sector. All for some coal plants that will import fuel and construction workers, and send water, electricity, and billions of dollars to other states – long after the current recession has turned toward recovery.
This is #5 of 7 questions – check back tomorrow for #6.
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