Environmentalists protest plans for new coal-burning plant
8:43 p.m. Saturday, December 2, 2006
Topeka — More than 100 people braved the cold to rally on the steps of the capitol, protesting plans for Kansas to build three new coal plants and asking the governor to increase renewable energy use.
"It's a new day. There's been a paradigm shift. They are not acceptable in Kansas,” said activist Bill Griffith of the Sierra Club.
With the possibility of three new coal-fired plants being built near Holcomb, environmentalists like Bill Griffith say the impact on Kansans could be devastating.
"If this plant is built, it will create a 20 percent increase of mercury in Kansas, which is highly toxic, number one. And number two; this would be the largest new source of green house gasses in the United States. That's unacceptable,” said Griffith.
"For every ton of coal the power plant burns, it puts four tons of CO-2 into the atmosphere,” said KSU Professor Kenneth Barnerd.
Rally goers even crossed state lines to voice their concern.
"I'm concerned about my future. We don't want coal burning plants and we don't want the pollution coming over to Missouri,” said Missouri resident Alex Asher.
During the rally, people waived signs encouraging Governor Kathleen Sebelius to push for more alternative energy sources.
And while the Governor didn't attend the rally, her office released a statement saying Governor Sebelius continues to look at all energy options available to Kansas and is working to gather as much information on the options as possible.
Rally goers say they will continue to push for alternative energy and urge the state to look to the answers, they say, are blowing in the wind.
"I think it's going to educate more people. It's go be showing the KDHE and the Governor the extreme concern of a lot of citizens,” said Griffith.
The company looking to build the new plants is the Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. It wants to build three 700-megawatt power generators near an already existing 360-megawatt station.
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