Topic: Proposed Sunflower Electric/Tri-State G&T Holcomb Station coal plant.
Action: Contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (see info below) and ask EPA to require Sunflower Electric Power Corporation (Sunflower) to submit the necessary extension request that would include an updated “Best Available Control Technology” analysis and public comment period for the Holcomb II permit.
Why: To avoid beginning construction in the 18-month period required by the permit, Sunflower Electric has requested a highly unusual “stay.” Unlike the typical extension granted in these cases, a “stay” would not require Sunflower to adhere to air quality regulations passed since the permit was granted. If granted, it will essentially stop the clock on the legal requirements for substantive start of construction, rather than requiring Sunflower to apply for a formal extension.
Bottom line: Sunflower, Tri-State, and their allies are publicly blaming legal actions brought by “environmentalists” for delaying the project, yet project supporters are the very ones trying everything they can to delay the unneeded project.
More Attempts to Delay the Coal Plant Project by…It’s Supporters
As predicted, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation (Sunflower) is seeking to delay a requirement that mandates construction of the proposed Holcomb II coal-fired power plant commence within 18 months of receiving a permit (granted 12/16/10). The problem with this is (a) Sunflower applied for a permit with full knowledge that construction would not begin within the required 18-month timeframe (since the electricity from the project isn’t needed in Kansas or in Colorado), and (b) the extraordinary request to avoid the 18-month start of construction requirement Sunflower submitted appears to be yet another attempt to escape public health and environmental protections.
You may recall that the permitting process was rushed and corrupted allowing Sunflower and Tri-State Generation & Transmission (Tri-State) to escape new greenhouse gas regulations and existing public health protections.
The KC Star recently reported on this issue and summarizes it well.
This is just another in a litany of illegal, unethical, or otherwise extraordinary steps Sunflower, Tri-State, and their polluting pro-coal allies have undertaken to first speed-up, then corrupt, and now delay the proposed coal-fired power plant project. They and their allies are publicly blaming legal actions brought by “environmentalists” (anticipated from the beginning) for delaying the project, yet project supporters are the very ones trying everything they can to delay the unneeded project.
We need your help in asking EPA to direct KDHE to do the following:
- Require Sunflower to submit the necessary extension request that would include an updated “Best Available Control Technology” analysis and public comment period for the Holcomb II permit.
You can copy/paste the above text directly into an email and send it to: r7actionline@epa.gov
For more information and background check out the KC Star’s recent editorial on this issue.
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