TOPEKA – The Kansas House voted 74-48 a moment ago to resurrect two coal plants for Western Kansas.
Legislation designed to eliminate the authority a state regulator used to reject the plants now moves to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius, a Democrat, has promised to veto the measure.
The vote is significant in that it’s 10 less than the 84 votes needed to override a veto.
Supporters of the project say they’ll use the Legislature’s three week spring break (likely starting tonight) to win over more votes.
It appears supporters are actually losing votes, however. When the House originally passed the legislation in February, the vote was 79-44.
Getting a veto-proof majority in the Senate has never been a challenge. Thursday, the Senate voted tonight 31-7 to send the bill to Sebelius – a higher margin than the two-thirds majority needed to overrule a veto.
The bill would strip the discretion a state regulator used to reject the coal-fired power plants in 2007. He cited concerns about carbon emissions and climate change.
Since then, a majority in the Republican-led Legislature has fought for the project, saying its jobs and energy are badly needed. Three times they passed legislation last year, and three times failed to override Sebelius’ vetoes.
This year’s bill, like its predecessors, contains modest provisions to encourage renewable energy and energy conservation.
Lawmakers will soon depart Topeka for a three-week break before returning for a brief wrap-up session at the end of the month. That’s when an attempt to override a Sebelius veto would occur.
Sunflower Electric Power Corp. had hoped to build the plants near Holcomb, Kan. Most of the power generated would serve out-of-state customers.
– David Klepper