TOPEKA, KAN. — Kansas’ top environmental regulator rejected a permit Thursday for two coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas, a victory for environmentalists concerned about global warming.
The decision from Rod Bremby, secretary of health and environment, prevents Sunflower Electric Power Corp. and its partner, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. of Westminster, from starting construction on a $3.6 billion project outside Holcomb. However, the ruling is expected to be challenged.
Bremby said he denied the permit over concerns about the plants’ potential carbon dioxide emissions. Most scientists view CO2 as a major contributor to climate change, but Kansas doesn’t regulate it.
“I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we do nothing,” Bremby said.
Sunflower called the decision arbitrary and predicted it would raise western Kansas electric rates and delay construction of larger transmission lines. Spokesman Steve Miller said the utility is troubled because Bremby “just reached up and did this” without any legal standards on CO2.
“We’ve got lawyers all over the place, and they’re gathering to see how best to next proceed,” he said.
Hays-based Sunflower supplies six cooperatives providing electricity for about 400,000 people in western Kansas.
Its plan called for building two, 700-megawatt coal-fired plants next to an existing, 360-megawatt plant outside Holcomb. Most of the new power would be sold outside Kansas.
