Kansas Legislative Network News
February 1, 2008
Tom Thompson
Legislative Coordinator
Sierra Club Kansas Chapter
5001 Rock Creek Lane, Mission, KS 66205
Phone: 913-236-9161; cell: 913-687-2405;
email: tomnthompson@sbcglobal.net

The big story this week was the presentation of two identical bills on Wednesday January 30. The drama began when the House went into session at the usual time of 11:00 a.m. Legislators were presented with HB 2711. Typically, bills are presented in committee, then there are hearings, they are voted on, then, if passed go to the full House (or Senate if a Senate bill) for consideration. After 2711 was handed out, the House recessed and both parties caucused (had meetings) where 2711 was explained. Members of the Senate also participated in these meetings. Later, SB 515 was written which was identical to HB 2711.

HB 2711 and SB 515 will be considered all next week in the House and Senate Utilities Committees. The two bills were written so that both houses could consider the bill at the same time. Next week, Monday through Thursday, hearings will be held on these bills in their respective committees.

What are these bills? They were written in order to get a permit issued to build the Holcomb Coal Fired Power Plant. They are being called compromise bills but when written had no input from those not wanting them to be built. No compromising was being done when these bills were written. They will allow the Sunflower Electric Cooperative to re-apply for a permit to build the Holcomb coal fired power plants without CO2 being considered. Although there are various parts to this bill that attempt to offset the 11 million tons of green house gasses produced by Holcomb, they fail to do so and do not do anything to cap or decrease the amount of carbon dioxide being produced in Kansas.

If you want to help with efforts to fight these bills, below is listed a series of events in which you can participate and who to contact if you have questions.

Contact your State Representative and State Senator and tell them to vote no on HB 2711 and SB 515. Tell them it is time to stop the building coal plants and to fight climate change.

Join us in Topeka next week!

Mon. (2/4) - Press Conference at 8:30 a.m. (Location, TBD) - Hear why bills 2711 & 515 are not a responsible idea for KS.  Speakers will present on environmental, health and economic issues.

Wed. (2/6) - House and Senate Hearings and rally - Details for the hearings are provided below.  ARRIVE EARLY (by 8:40 a.m.)! Even if you don't plan to speak, please come and show legislators you oppose this bill.  We need speakers for the Senate hearings.

Immediately following the hearings, there will be a rally on the South side of the Capitol on the steps.  If you are unable to attend the hearings, but wish to attend the rally, arrive at the capitol around 11:30 a.m.

Thurs. (2/7) - House and Senate Hearings - Details for the hearings are provided below. PROPONENTS will testify on Mon. and Tues. OPPONENTS (us!) will testify on Wed. and Thurs.

For this next week only, the House Utilities Committee will start at 9:00 am and meet in the Old Supreme Court Room which is also 313 South. This is a larger room and brings the committee to the Capitol Building from the Docking building. Opponents will get to speak Wednesday or Thursday. (Proponents or supporters get Monday and Tuesday). 

For the Senate Utilities Committee the procedure is similar. The meeting will start at 9:30 am and be in room 526-S, which is tucked away in the SW corner of the 5th Floor, more west than south. It is a rather small room so you might want to get there even earlier. The Secretary's name is Ann Mc Morris and the phone number is 785-296-6403.

Another point, because the two committees meet at almost the same time they are coordinating efforts. If you want to testify in both committees, they will schedule you on Wednesday in one and Thursday in the other.

Parking at the Capitol is very limited. It is best if you carpool. There is a parking garage with 2 hour parking on the north side (off 8 th Street ). There are also parking meters around the Capitol some of which are for up to 10 hours.

If you have any questions, please call
Stephanie Cole at (913) 906-9332, (402) 984 -1122.

The Other Issues

Most of the bills that are of interest to the Sierra Club are considered in the House Energy and Utilities Committee, House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, Senate Utilities Committee and Senate Natural Resources Committee.

Next week, the only bills of interest to the Sierra Club in these committees are HB 2711 and SB 515 briefly described above. No bills of interest have been observed in other committees either.

Last week there were 3 bill hearings at which the Sierra Club gave testimony. These were HB 2632 that allowed utilities to receive a return on investments in conservation and efficiency programs, HB 2682 that created a net metering program for solar energy and SB 258 that required beverage container deposits.

HB 2632 was heard on Tuesday in the House Energy and Utilities Committee. It had a variety of supporters including the Sierra Club, Climate and Energy Project, Mid-American Regional Council, KCPL, The Olathe School District, The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Westar and others. Opponents were KCC (Kansas Corporation Commission) and CURB (Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board). The latter objected because they have two open dockets studying this issue and felt that there was a better way to promote energy conservation. Sierra Club testified that it was time that utilities get a return when they invested in conservation programs and began to meet customers energy needs and not just sell them all the electricity they can.

HB 2682 was heard on Thursday in the same committee. This bill set up a net metering program for solar energy. There were only two proponents and two opponents. The Sierra Club testified for 2682 along with Trudy Aron from the American Institute of Architects. Again, KCC and CURB testified against net metering because they felt it discriminated against those electric customers that did not install solar panels because the cost of fixed costs would be shifted to them.

The last bill of the week, SB 258, was heard on Friday in the Senate Natural Resources Committee. This bill set up a $.05 deposit for beverage containers. Supporting this bill was the Sierra Club, Carey Maynard-Moody and Ron Klataske from the Kansas Audubon. Opponents to the bill included almost all the beverage organizations one could think of along with a representative from Balls Foods.

It is not known when these bills will be considered. Many bills in the legislature are being held up waiting for the Holcomb Power Plant issue to be resolved. I recommend that you contact your legislator and let him/her know that you support these bills. There are 10 weeks remaining in this years legislature.