First coal plant permit blocked by global warming pollution
by Fresh Energyby Erin Stojan, program coordinator, Fresh Energy
Cornflower Electric Power proposed to build a combined 1,400-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Kansas, which would have emitted about 11 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Would have—had not the Sunflower coal plant become the first to see a construction permit rejected based on its global warming pollution emissions last Thursday.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the first government agency in the U.S. to reject a power plant permit for carbon dioxide emissions, found that the anticipated global warming pollution from the plant would have harmed human health and the environment.
“I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we do nothing,” said Rod Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. No less than eight attorneys general urged Bremby to reject the permit on the grounds that the plant would impact air quality around the country. Twenty-first century clean energy advocates hope the coal plant proposal will be replaced by a mixture of wind power and natural gas plants.
The decision follows a Supreme Court decision in April finding that carbon dioxide, a known contributor to global warming, is a pollutant regulated by the Clean Air Act. At least 16 other coal plants across the country have been denied for other reasons, including higher construction and labor costs and pending U.S. global warming legislation.
November 17th, 2007 at 8:24 am
The name of the Project in Kansas is the Sunflower not Cornflower Electric Power. Former Kansan now southwest Riverside County Resident since 1980.