Thirty-nine House Republicans, including the leadership team, on Wednesday announced their support for a proposed coal-fired plant in western Kansas.

“The project offers our state the unique opportunity for tremendous economic development in a part of our state that has experienced a drop in population and economy,” House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, said.

The proposal by Sunflower Electric Power Corp. is for two 700-megawatt plants near Holcomb. The permits are pending before the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The House Republicans wrote KDHE expressing their support.

The project has been opposed by environmentalists, the attorneys general of eight states, and the city of Lawrence because of the carbon dioxide and other pollutants that would be produced by the plant. They also note that about 90 percent of the power from the plant will be sold out of state.

In recent days, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has said she is opposed to the project.