Community college loses grant money because coal plant construction was put on hold

? Garden City Community College has lost a nearly $2 million federal grant because of delays in state approval for two new coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas.

Community college officials said Monday that they were told to return the Department of Labor grant that would have trained workers to help build the plants.

Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby in October 2007 refused to issue Sunflower Electric Power Corp. a needed air quality permit for the plants. He cited concerns about potential carbon dioxide emissions and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius agreed with him.

The governor vetoed three bills last year that would have allowed Sunflower to go forward with its project.