Posted on July 9, 2009 by Charles Efflandt
With the May 2009 enactment of comprehensive energy legislation, Kansas joined a majority of states establishing renewable and clean energy requirements. Although a significant step in the development of renewable energy, the story receiving the most attention was that the new law, ironically, resurrected a presumed-dead coal-fired power plant project. That project, which involved two proposed 700 megawatt coal-fired generating units, had previously been denied a construction permit solely due to concerns over the climate change impact of perceived excessive emissions of carbon dioxide. The legislature further enacted limitations on the broad regulatory authority relied on by the state environmental agency to deny the coal plant project a permit. The question now being asked is whether the complex political compromise that enabled the passage of the legislation was a “win-win” or a “no-win” result.
Tags: Energy