Big Coal Tries To Bribe Kansas Legislature To Approve New Coal Plants

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/coal-bribes-kansas/


Ever since the Kansas Department of Health and Environment denied air quality permits for two 700-megawatt coal-burning power generators near Holcomb, KS, in October, the coal industry has fought back with everything it can muster.

In November, it published newspaper ads comparing Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Vladimir Putin, and Hugo Chavez.

The coal industry has sponsored nearly all of CNN’s presidential debates, and has launched a website and TV ads using children to spout its propaganda.

Now Big Coal is trying bribery. Sunflower Electric, a leading Kansas power company, has offered millions to Kansas State University for energy research — that is, if the legislature approves its bid for new coal plants first. Speaker Melvin Neufeld (R) emphasized the large cash gift yesterday as he urged his colleagues to approve the plants:

Neufeld, R-Ingalls, noted the plant’s developers, Sunflower Electric Power Corp., have entered into a memorandum of understanding to pay $2.5 million to Kansas State University over 10 years for energy research if the plants get built.

If Sunflower Electric doesn’t get state permits to build by June 1, there’s no deal with KSU, according to the memorandum of understanding, which was distributed to all House members for their perusal.
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that's how the neo cons do it - bully, bribe, blackmail, threaten, murder

which way will Kansa State go? will the dark side win?

I hope you/someone keeps DU posted up-to-date on the whole process.

The coal industry is the filthy 21st century oil industry. They've got friends amongst the candidates, too.

The Chinese LOVE them some coal, too....

nt