As controversy continues over proposed coal-fired power plants near Holcomb, Rep. Jerry Moran has stepped into the fray.On Sunday, he authored an op-ed in the Wichita Eagle, saying the plants are needed – and saying any environmental harm caused by them can and will be mitigated.He wrote:”I look forward to the day when all of the energy we consume will be clean. But until then, there must either be a practical solution or Americans will face rolling blackouts and significantly higher utility costs.”As America searches for ways to satisfy its need for energy and at the same time protect the environment, enterprising Kansans have taken the lead to find a solution. The folks at Sunflower Electric Power Corp. are working to show Kansas and the country a way forward.”The Kansas-owned and -operated rural cooperative is proposing to build a one-of-a-kind facility in Holcomb that will greatly reduce the environmental impact of its coal-fired power plant expansion. Using cutting-edge technology, the Bioenergy Center will capture carbon dioxide before it leaves the plant and use it to produce renewable fuels. It is a central component of Sunflower’s goal to make the expansion at Holcomb carbon-neutral.”He concludes:”Sunflower’s plan not only represents what the future of energy production can look like, but it also helps secure the future of rural Kansas. A $3.5 billion investment in a rural area is one of the most significant economic development opportunities in the history of western Kansas.”Other headlines:Rep. Dennis Moore (D) !(KC Star) Stopgap bill keeps government in business until mid-November: he federal government will not be shutting down Monday. Bills will be paid. Taxes will be collected. The alphabet soup of 21st century America – EPA, FBI, OSHA, DOD, HUD – will continue to simmer. Even though – yet again – Congress will miss the Oct. 1 deadline for passing legislation that actually pays for government operations. … But the political gamesmanship over the lack of progress on appropriations is well under way. The common theme: Blame the other guy. “They’re having problems in the Senate,” said Rep. Dennis Moore, a Kansas Democrat. “I’m not trying to point fingers, but that’s the reality.”Rep. Nancy Boyda (D) !Boyda, Lansing featured in CBS story about federal earmark spending Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R) !(KWCH) Wichita senator to seek Tiahrt’s seat: State Senator Donald Betts says he plans to seek the Democratic nomination in Kansas’ Fourth Congressional District. The Wichita senator had planned a formal announcement on Tuesday at Friends University. But Governor Sebelius revealed Betts’ plans to 300 cheering supporters during a state party meeting yesterday.(KAKE-TV) RICO Indictments Take More Criminals Off Street: Friday’s federal indictments against local gang members could go a long way toward making Wichita safer. The RICO Act allows prosecutors to charge organized groups instead of individuals. Law enforcement agencies, government officials, and local experts agree… criminal gang acts in Wichita have been on the rise in recent years. Now, by trying this case under the RICO Act, prosecutors hope to reverse that trend. “The crips have been around for a long time,” says Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt. “Over the last decade they have slowly built up. Bringing them down will also take some time.”