Category Archives: Blog
Where’s the Outrage Over Coal Boondogles?
Back in 1980, Sunflower Generation Corporation in Kansas received $543 million in federal loans and loan guarantees (taxpayer money). Like Solyndra, they were not able to pay that money back. So they arranged deals with the federal government to “restructure” the loans, multiple times. Sunflower was unable to repay taxpayers due to financial strain related to over-built Holcomb I, the existing coal plant Sunflower owns. Continue reading
Kansas Energy and the Bremby Decision: Four Years Later
Efforts continue to obscure the facts, derail the rule of law, and deny the public interest in order to benefit the coal plant project and its special interest allies, but Mr. Bremby’s decision four years ago remains as visionary and important an act of public service now as it was in October of 2007. Continue reading
Let’s Unplug Dirty, Old Coal Plants
Across the nation, old coal-fired power plants are gasping for their last breath, having survived long past their prime because of political favors and weak government regulations. The nation is at an energy crossroads. One path cuts old ties and moves on to a clean energy future powered by a mix of next generation power sources. The other path prolongs our dependence on an energy source that is cooking the planet and making us sick. Continue reading
GPACE Public Comment on the Keystone XL Pipeline, Submitted to the US Department of State
What follows is a copy of public comments submitted by GPACE to the United States Department of State (via US DoS website submission) concerning the pending National Interest Determination and Presidential Permit review process for the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL … Continue reading
Tri-State’s Coal Plant in Kansas: Fact from Fiction
As the saying goes, we are all entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts. We strongly believe the real importance lies in not confusing the two. Many supporters of the proposed Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State)/ … Continue reading
The Message to Kansans: ‘Let Them Eat Coal Dust’
The Kansas City Star recently obtained a sample of the many hundreds of emails between the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Sunflower Electric Power Corporation (Sunflower) that indicate Sunflower staff, attorneys, and consultants drafted KDHE responses to … Continue reading
The Coal Plant Boondoggle Goes to Washington
With Rep. Huelskamp in the lead, the Kansas Congressional delegation released an inaccurate public statement about the case, and sent a letter to USDA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) attempting to put political pressure on the administration. Even as they publicly attack environmentalists for delaying the coal plant, the Kansas Congressional delegation is asking RUS to engage in actions to delay the coal plant. Delay, it seems, is now the desperate tactic of Sunflower, Tri-State, and their political allies. Continue reading
Kansas Legislature a Public Interest Train Wreck
Kansas House Resolution 6008 continues to receive attention, especially in the context of nationwide partisan efforts to politicize EPA regulatory activity in advance of the 2012 election cycle. HR 6008 is a non-binding resolution that has little if any direct … Continue reading
“The Cleanest Coal Plant in the Country?” Not.
In fact, there are currently hundreds of coal plants in the country that are already emitting fewer harmful pollutants than the recent KDHE permit allows the proposed Holcomb 2 coal-fired unit to spew. Given the political tactics and misinformation used to advance this project, one wonders how many other claims in support of this coal plant are simply not true. Continue reading
Public Hearings – Rate Impacts and Coal Plant Retrofits
We strongly encourage you to attend one or both of the public meetings on May 5th or May 10th. These are official KCC public hearings where Westar and KCP&L will make presentations and where the public can ask questions and comment about the retrofits and the request to pass those costs onto customers. Continue reading →