A Sunday expose in the Topeka Cap-Journal sheds light on what members of the Kansas business community and our blog have been saying for months. Sebelius' opposition to jobs, investment and the 2 clean coal power plants in Holcomb is turning away OTHER business opportunities from our state. Sebelius' desire to appease the green base of the Democratic Party has derailed the Hyperion oil refinery, which would have invested $10 billion in Kansas and provided $8000 construction jobs and 1800 "well-paying permanent positions"in the Pottawatomie County area.
Throughout 2006 and 2007, Hyperion spent significant time and money in Kansas setting up the groundwork for the deal. But this past October, after Bremby denied Holcomb the necessary permits, it became clear that the political hoopla that Sunflower electric had to deal would prove too much for Hyperion. They planned to emit 17 million tons of CO2 at their refinery, 6 million more than what Holcomb was hoping for. According to Bob Cole from the Pottawatomie CED, "Hyperion told me that with the CO2 emissions question up in the air, there was just too much uncertainty."
Additionally, recent comments from the governor's office make it quite clear that the Hyperion deal faced enormous regulatory challenges from Kathy's office. According to Nicole Corcoran, "...we're [the governor's office is] not saying that this specific project would be approved."
So what happens? Kansas gets screwed and the plant goes to South Dakota. They get the jobs, the tax revenue and the investment. We all get the same amount of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere and America gets to watch as Sebelius' national political ambitions get amplified because Republican leadership at the statehouse is full of a bunch of boneheads.
18 comments:
i really don't understand that picture...
it's what happens to people and communities when the government needlessly creates a climate that drives away businesses and investments.
it's also intended to highlight the arrogance of global warm(ongering) democratic politicians who claim to understand the plight of the middle and lower class families but then screw them over with policy positions that make little to no sense (like setting arbitrary environmental standards at the state level. or telling a corporation they can't pollute, but then flying around the nation to sporting events in a government paid-for pollution machine of a private jet.) Capiche?
um...no
bad illustration..but i'm glad you've found yourself back on the issue that makes you the very most comfortable...harping about an energy source that wasn't ever going to provide any kansans with cheaper energy.
lucky you have this...lord knows there aren't any other stories in kansas politics to talk about...
so...."which one of you" used to write Bounce Boyda?
Oh poor brad. you're conflating hyperion with holcomb. holcomb will have an impact on energy prices in kansas, but not all that much because only 15% of the energy produced there is expected to stay in Kansas. Most is going to Colorado. That doesn't mean that Holcomb area prices won't drop, they will, it just means most of the energy will be sold off to neighboring states.
Hyperion, on the other hand, is an oil refinery. Gas prices in areas near refineries are always lower than in places where they're not. Take Texas and Louisiana prices vs the rest of the US.
As far as "stories worth talking about" call me crazy, but 8000 jobs and $10 billion in investment for NE Kansas. Sounds like a story to me. Wait, you'd rather have me talk about poll numbers.
So, who's out of touch??
oh custer...you simple thing.
you can decide to believe whatever you want, of course, and that does certainly seem the style of "all of the authors" of this blog...but, really, those pesky facts...just muck things up, don't they?
never mind it is abundantly obvious Kansas was a backup site to the site in South Dakota. Nevermind that.
This is all just more complaining about the rejection of the coal plant in Holcomb...all indications are even without Holcomb, the Hyperion plant would have been build in South Dakota. Am I sure? No. Are you? No. But it makes you sound more powerful if you're sweeping.
the only public poll ever taken on this issue- the only one- said the people of kansas didn't want the plant built. like it or not, that's the only public polling we have.
So...you're out of touch, but it lets you be back on the ground you feel comfortable on. It might even keep the blog alive for a few more weeks.
First of all, George Custer was a Democrat. For some strange reason, the authors of this website seem to believe that all Kansas historical figures were Republicans. Carrie Nation was also a very prominent Democrat and supporter of Wm Jennings Bryant.
Secondly, this blog is beating a dead horse over the coal plant. The legislature didn't want the coal plant, the voters didn't want the coal plant ... nobody wanted the coal plant but Melvin Neufeld and the Garden City Chamber of Commerce.
Third, that picture that you selected for this post make no sense whatsoever.
Thanks for the history lesson, Dipshit. I'll be sure to vote for the democraps now.
Republicans are stupid white trash.
The Legislature didn't want the coal plant? Really? 83 votes in the House and over 30 in the Senate. True, Neufeld screwed it up and couldn't get the 2/3 majority needed, but saying the Legislature didn't want the plants is absurd.
Oh, and for a blog that only talks about Holcomb, it sure seems to have a lot of democrats posting.
And Democrats are effeminate elitists.
so...again...this democrat reads this blog for the comments, not the posts.
The person behind "Carrie Nation" is indeed a Democrat. Rumor has it that it's Candy Ruff.
Some Democrat.
83 votes in the House. yeah, the House had absolutely no interest in getting Holcomb through. none what so ever.
Who on earth is this brad character and why is he lecturing Republicans about facts?
Did any of you actually read the entire article? It is pretty clear from the article that the Hyperion project was all lined up for South Dakota well before the Bremby decision and that Kansas was always a fallback/negotiating ploy for Hyperion. Secondly, the end of the article notes that there is now doubt that the project will actually get built anywhere because of financing and regulatory concerns. Sound familiar? Also now note that Custer joins Wyatt and Wild Bill (why do they all sound the same?) in stepping all over the posts.
Oh, and the picture? Two possibilities. The citizens of Holcomb after inhaling coal plant pollution or the bloggers of TKR at home. Also guessing that Custer's allowance from Sunflower has been cut off and, thus, his anger.
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