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Were you surprised that one week after former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius left for Washington, D.C., that Gov. Mark Parkinson reached a deal with Sunflower Electric Power Co. to build a coal-fired power plant in southwest Kansas?
| Response | Percent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I was not surprised | 53% | 575 | |
| I was surprised | 41% | 445 | |
| I’m not sure | 4% | 53 | |
| Total | 1073 | ||
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labmonkey (anonymous) says…
I am not sure, because I really don't know much about Parkinson. I am glad he at least made the compromise to get one built. That will be a boon for SW Kansas's economy (and nice that the money will be comming in from out of state). Only 895 MW though....at least with the two 700 MW plants, they could have sent Marty back to 1985. Now he's screwed if he ends up in SW Kansas.
Kropotkin (anonymous) says…
This is really a damn shame. Parkinson is aware of the problem these plants will bring.
The railroad industry lobbied with huge force, spread tens of thousands of dollars around in buying votes, but didn't have enough. They would have made huge revenues hauling Wyoming coal to be burned in Kansas to provide power to Texas and Colorado. All Kansas will get is the pollution.
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says…
All you uppities in eastern Ks. don't give a hoot about W. Ks. anyways. Get over it.
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says…
All you uppities in eastern Ks. don't give a hoot about W. Ks. anyways. Get over it.
LogicMan (anonymous) says…
Not surprised at all. Sebelius was obviously running for the VP and then other slots in the federal government for years, and needed to distinguish herself from the pack on a number of issues.
purplesage (anonymous) says…
Sebelius could politically afford to wield her extreme envirnomental views at the expense of western Kansas for politically expedient reasons. She doesn't get many votes out that way anyhow due to holding to other extreme views, like that on abortion, and just by virtue of being a Democrat. So vetoing the plants put her in good graces with the current occupants of the seats of power in Washington whose energy policies are going to dip deeply into the pockets of Americans. This conveniently facilitated her climb up the ladder. I really thought we'd see 2 new plants but I didn't see it coming so quickly. Good job, Gov. Parkinson.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Not at all surprised. Parksinson doesn't even want to be Governor. He's going to coast as much as possible until this term his up.
number3of5 (anonymous) says…
I am not a bit surprised. Burn up all the coal, polute the earth with carbon emissions, melt the polar icecaps, tout the end is near, take your stand either way. A politician will go where the money leads them.
ibroke (anonymous) says…
is it a clean coal plant?
autie (anonymous) says…
No surprise here. I'm surprised I haven't learned about any trade off though...the magic budget bullet to restore some money to education/social services in return for a coal plant. That was my first guess. Come on omnibus bill, don't let me down.
ibroke (anonymous) says…
The new agreement signed by Parkinson and Watkins allows for construction of just one coal-fired plant at the southwest Kansas site. It also includes "green" provisions, such as requiring that all utilities generate 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and creating incentives for consumers to use wind- and solar-powered generators.
Sunflower also agreed to use new, cleaner technology in its coal-fired power plant and to pursue other measures to offset potential carbon-dioxide emissions, which some scientists link to global warming. The utility also promised to develop wind energy
sally87 (anonymous) says…
It's just sad. There are so many other clean energy options. Colorado gets the energy and we get the pollution.
Practicality (anonymous) says…
Maybe the residents in Eastern Kansas could graciously give up one of our Power Plants to offset this one out in Western Kansas? (Sarcasm intended)
I need to buy some stock in Sunflower. I think this idea is going to be profitable.
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
ibroke is correct, and I think this is a reasonable compromise. Of course reasonable and compromise are not words usually associated with the left. Gov. Parkinson has done more in the spirit of compromise in a few days than Sebelius did in several years.
Curt (anonymous) says…
Sibelius was elected twice because she represented change and a new attitude for Kansans and had the guts to stand up to the Republicans. Its a shame this Parkinson guy instantly reverted to his true, Republican background and we are right back at the mercy of the Neanderthal Republicans in Topeka with their knuckle dragging ethics/programs. One good thing, Parkinson just lost his upcoming election by going Republican, for this decision was a stupid one on his part if he thought about reelection, this cinches his losing right here, with only a couple of days on the job. Now we know who he really is and just have to endure the stone age mentality he brings to the table for a while, then we can vote him out.
georgeofwesternkansas (anonymous) says…
"I need to buy some stock in Sunflower. I think this idea is going to be profitable."
Sorry Practicality, Sunflower is a members only club. You want stock you need to have an electric meter in one of the six coop's that own sunflower. Sunflower is owned by the people that buy the power...Thats why it is already one of the cleanest producers in the nation.
newsreader (anonymous) says…
About time
saddly it will be tied up in courts for a long time... but if it gets built it will bring in some nice tax dollars...
Practicality (anonymous) says…
georgeofwesternkansas (Anonymous) says
"Sunflower is a members only club. You want stock you need to have an electric meter in one of the six coop's that own sunflower. Sunflower is owned by the people that buy the power…Thats why it is already one of the cleanest producers in the nation."
Dang it. I was looking for an investment. Thought this woulda been it.
notajayhawk (anonymous) says…
Curt (Anonymous) says…
"Sibelius was elected twice because she represented change and a new attitude for Kansans and had the guts to stand up to the Republicans."
If that's why she was elected, Curt, why is the legislature still overwhelmingly Republican?
"One good thing, Parkinson just lost his upcoming election by going Republican, for this decision was a stupid one on his part if he thought about reelection, this cinches his losing right here, with only a couple of days on the job. Now we know who he really is and just have to endure the stone age mentality he brings to the table for a while, then we can vote him out."
Um - don't keep up with the news much, do you, Curt? He already said he's not going to run for a full term.
And just out of curiosity, Curt, are you just ranting about the coal plant, or are you deluded enough to believe the next governor of Kansas is going to be a Democrat?
verity (anonymous) says…
Anyone want to place any bets of whether this coal plant will ever get built/put into production? I'm betting it won't.
Ogallala_Kid (anonymous) says…
Good comment George.
This didn't surprise me at all. If Kathleen would have been concerned about this at all, she could have negotiated w/ Sunflower about all of this before the session a year ago.
Instead, she first encouraged Sunflower.... then disappeared from the conversation table, and let Sunflower proceed over the cliff with their application, and then used the defense of "I can't discuss it because it is under consideration by KDHE."
Regulation by ambush.
She knew this would create an issue in an election year where she could get some considerable ink. And if you believe Bremby and Sebelius that they were not in communication about this issue, you are pretty darned stupid.
Since Parkinson has no need to parade around, he can do what is right, and he did.
bd (anonymous) says…
There is no "clean" coal plants!
The 1500 or so jobs will be temporary until the plant is built and them the area economy will be back to where it was before, ask the oldtimers in New Strawn Ks.(Wolf Creek)
Been there , seen it!
none2 (anonymous) says…
bd (Anonymous) says…
There is no “clean” coal plants!
The 1500 or so jobs will be temporary until the plant is built and them the area economy will be back to where it was before, ask the oldtimers in New Strawn Ks.(Wolf Creek)
Been there , seen it!
==========================
Actually, you probably have a point. I went south on US-75 last weekend, and none of those towns looked very prosperous.
As to this new deal, I hope that if the members need more energy at some point, that they have the right to take some energy back from Colorado. I don't care whether that energy gets used in eastern Kansas, but it SHOULD first serve the current AND future need of western Kansas.
KansasVoter (anonymous) says…
I don't understand how people say that this will be good for SW Kansas' economy. It's only bringing in about 50 jobs, and I'll bet that many of those will be part-time. The vast majority of the construction workers will be from out of state, so the Holcomb area won't get anything from this plant except for lung cancer.
BABBOY (anonymous) says…
Ogaliia-kid,
While I doubt you really want to know the truth or what people involved with are saying and you would rather just trash the former Governor, you might want to consider that the only reason Sunflower made this agreement was because they did not have the votes to override the veto.
Not being to stop the veto is pretty much an accepted fact by the way.
Also, to all the uninformed folks saying that it was Sebelius who would not negotiate, she offered this exact same deal last year. Sunflower accepted now because they could not override the veto. This is not rocket science and not being able to stop the veto is the only reason Sunflower finally came to a deal. In other words, they got a beat down and rolled over because they had no choice. They tried to shove this plant down the throat of the Governor and failed (badly by the way).
Thus, it is Sunflower that wasted all of this time, money, and liability. This is just another example of how people blame the wrong leaders and blindly follow groups that do not have their best interests in mind. Sunflower has only one goal and that is to make money. They wanted the bigger plant and they did not want to pay the taxes they ultimately agreed to and only agreed when they had no other choice or would lose the entire plant.
notajayhawk (anonymous) says…
babboy (Anonymous) says…
"Also, to all the uninformed folks saying that it was Sebelius who would not negotiate, she offered this exact same deal last year."
It appears that it's you (as usual) that's uninformed, babs.
Sebelius offered a 660 MW plant, Parkinson an 895 Mw. Minor (35%) difference. (If you have some spare time on your hands, figure out what the extra 235 MW of generating capacity brings in, revenue-wise.)
Also, while *most* of the conditions Sebelius demanded were included in this deal and/or the pending legislation, one key condition seems to have been omitted (at least it hasn't been mentioned in any of the stories I've seen on the deal). Sebelius was demanding Kansas get first priority for the electricity generated, which is no small restriction for any business, being told where and to whom they're allowed to sell their product.
See, babs, it wasn't the "exact same deal." Sebelius failed to get a deal, Parkinson changed the terms and got an agreement immediately after she left. Deal with it.
Easy_Does_It (anonymous) says…
What is Kathy doing for Rod Bremby who dove under this political bus in order to get Kathy in Wasington?
It was interesting to see big time politics played out here in Kansas.
bunnyhawk (anonymous) says…
This crime against the citizens of Kansas has been committeed by the same ultra-conservative Kansas legislature that has placidly watched Kansas' small farming communities dry up and blow away in the wind. Their attention is clearly more closely focused on their own pockets than on the economic and environmental well being of Kansas. If these plants are such a great deal economically, why did the states who really need the electricity they will generate refuse to build them and enjoy these great benefits themselves???????????? Duh! It's because they had enough sense to not sell their states' future for a fast buck------------unlike our pitifully greedy and reactionary legislature!!!!