Kansas Legislature Passes Coal Plant Bill
The Kansas state legislature today gave final passage to a bill authorizing massive expansion of the Sunflower coal-fired power plant — but there is unexpected good news in the vote … it’s 10 votes short of being veto-proof in the House. This means that the promised veto from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is more likely than…
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The Kansas state legislature today gave final passage to a bill authorizing massive expansion of the Sunflower coal-fired power plant — but there is unexpected good news in the vote … it’s 10 votes short of being veto-proof in the House.
This means that the promised veto from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is more likely than ever to survive. An earlier vote in the state House had a margin of only five votes. She is expected to veto the bill next week.
Last year, Gov. Sebelius vetoed three legislative attempts to impose the Sunflower plant on a state whose citizens were solidly opposed to it. Each of those three bills had vote margins much less than 10 votes.
If the tea leaves are readable at this point, it appears the pro-Sunflower forces are losing support, despite a massive lobbying and statewide media campaign by the coal industry. A veto session starts April 27 in the Legislature.
Earthjustice stood shoulder to shoulder with Gov. Sebelius during her fight against Sunflower, providing both legal and public support assistance.
From 2006–2014, Terry was managing editor for Earthjustice's blog, online monthly newsletter and print Earthjustice Quarterly Magazine.
Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain office protects the region’s iconic public lands, wildlife species, and precious water resources; defends Tribes and disparately impacted communities fighting to live in a healthy environment; and works to accelerate the region’s transition to 100% clean energy.
