To the editor:

Why are we allowing new coal plants when we know they are bad for our health and the long-term economy? It’s the coal rush.

There are 150 new coal plants proposed across the United States. Why the rush?

Sunflower Electric Cooperatives is in a difficult situation. As a Class A member of the Western Fuels Association, it is heavily invested in coal. Seeing the possibility of future regulation of coal-burning, e.g. CO2 caps, it and other utilities have economic incentive to build as many coal-burning plants as quickly as they can in order to make good use of their investments – even when we don’t need the electricity.

By appealing to the very real need for jobs in western Kansas, the co-op has brought local residents in to support its proposals without revealing the true costs – in particular the unnecessary depletion of water resources, particulate pollution, mercury pollution, and the impacts of global warming (e.g. decertification of western Kansas). All Kansans will pay for these additional costs.

Kansas needs genuine political leadership on this issue. Gov. Sebelius needs to take the long view and work with Sunflower to halt this destructive plan.

Bev Worster,

Lawrence