Kansas Governor Takes Strong Stand Against Coal Plants

Kansas Governor Kathleen Seblius took another strong stand against the expansion of coal plants.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius today vetoed legislation to allow a sizeable coal plant expansion in western Kansas.

The bill would have eliminated the discretion a state regulator used last year to block Sunflower Electric Power Corp.’s plans to add two coal-burning generators to its existing Holcomb, Kan., power station.

Sebelius said that she couldn’t support an erosion of an environmental regulator’s powers and that the bill didn’t do enough to encourage renewable energy.

Last week, a group of concerned citizens from Waterloo and Marshalltown, where coal-fired power plants are proposed to be built, held a rally at the State House to encourage Gov. Culver to take action against the coal plants.

The question now is if Culver will follow Sebelius' lead?