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Concerned Citizens of Platte County, Inc. (CCPC)

Oct., 2007 Newsletter

Contents






Events



2007 Bridging the Gap Environmental Excellence Awards- Oct. 10, 5pm, Kansas City Public Library, 14 W. 10th St., Kansas City, MO. CCPC, Sierra Club and KCP&L are being honored with the David Garcia Award for Environmental Excellence. More info - http://www.bridgingthegap.org/PROGRAMS/awards/ceeAward.htm.

6th Annual Community Forum on Kansas Environmental Issues, Oct. 11, 5:15 pm, Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS. Appetizers, exhibitors, speaker - Don Worster, PhD, The Waters of Kansas: Past, Present and Future. $20 donation. More info - ptscarey@mac.com.

Concerned Citizens of Platte County Meeting-Oct. 28 - 7pm - Tanner’s, 2701 Running Horse Rd, Platte City, 64079. Jeff Vandel, with North Kansas City Schools will speak about the new Staley High School being built to LEED standards. More info - sbrown816@gmail.com.

6th Annual Environmental Summit - Sponsored by Missouri Votes Conservation - Nov. 3 – 9:30am-3:30pm, Columbia Public Library, 100 West Broadway. www.movotesconservation.org or Mark Fogal at mfogal2002@yahoo.com.

UPDATE: Energy Efficiency Forum- Held Sept. 14, Bartle Hall, Sponsored by KCP&L, AARP, Sierra Club, Mid America Regional Council, Greater KC Chamber of Commerce, Aquila, MEDA, & Kansas Energy Council. More than 550 people packed a room to listen to national and local speakers. Read more at http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/275991.html.


Coalition of 8 utilities agree to emphasize energy conservation



A coalition of eight utilities, including Kansas City-based Great Plains Energy, unveiled plans to emphasize energy conservation over building more power plants. The plan calls for the utilities to boost their investments in energy efficiency projects, such as subsidizing the purchase of more efficient air conditioners, to $1.5 billion annually. If successful, the plan would eliminate the need to build 50 power plants in the U.S. KC Star, 9/27/07 http://www.kansascity.com/105/v-print/story/294207.html


AG opinion gives hope to Kansas power plant opponents



Attorney General Paul Morrison concluded that the state's top health regulator can reject an application to build the Holcomb plants, even if they meet all state and federal environmental regulations. Previously, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment had indicated that the decision to grant or deny the permit must be based solely on meeting environmental regulations. Morrison's opinion seemingly gives the KDHE wide discretion to deny Sunflower Electric Power Corp.’s permit application because of concerns about unregulated carbon emissions.

http://www.kansascity.com/115/v-print/story/295908.html.


Headlines



Sebelius hedges on Wind Power Goal, KC Star, 9/26/07, http://www.kansascity.com:80/news/politics/story/292437.html

New York Subpoenas 5 Energy Companies, NY Times, 9/16/07, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of New York has opened an investigation of five large energy companies, questioning whether their plans to build coal-fired power plants pose undisclosed financial risks due to global warming that their investors should know about. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/nyregion/16greenhouse.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Governors Seek Action on Global Warming, AP, 9/13/07, Governors want to expand state regulation of greenhouse gases in hopes of increasing pressure for federal action on global warming, says the chairman of the National Governors Association. http://www.nga.org

Westar Adopts Climate Change Policy, KC Star, 9/10/07. Topeka based Westar Energy announced a set of principles that outline actions the Topeka electric utility will take regarding climate change, including efforts to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, educate the public about climate change and energy efficiency and support constructive public policies and initiatives. http://www.kansascity.com/344/story/269024.html.

Coal Rush Reverses, Power Firms Follow Plans for New Plants Stalled by Growing Opposition, Washington Post, 9/4/07 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/03/AR2007090301119_pf.html.


Platte County Update



Platte Profile - Platte County's long range planning process is underway. Focus groups have met and the Citizen Planning Team has made recommendations. The first public meeting will be held Oct. 24 at the Platte County Administration Building. More info at www.platteprofile.com.

Green Build Ready for Adoption and Implementation! - The Platte County Green Build committee has completed work and staff is working on final implementation. Implementation will occur sometime in spring, 2008. The Commission will appoint a “Platte County Green Build Committee” that will help promote, organize, and implement the program on an ongoing basis. Please let me know if you are interested in serving on this committee - sbrown816@gmail.com.


KCMO is going crazy (In a good way)!



Kansas City's Mayor Mark Funkhouser has signed the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. There is a movement to have a mass signing by all the mayors in the Metro in November. The KCMO City Council named making the city a "Green City" a #1 priority. The Kansas City Area Development Council’s Annual Meeting theme this year is "Building a Green KC".


KCMO Climate Protection Plan Update



The first phase of the Climate Protection Plan for Kansas City with a goal of reducing carbon emissions from government operations 30% by 2020 continues to be implemented. The second phase of the planning process begins in September with work groups meeting monthly until April. Phase 2 will focus on goals for reducing carbon in the entire community. You may view the completed Phase one report at www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/cpp.


New KC Star Environment Blog



http://kcearthnotes.kansascity.com/


Really Funny Gov. Sebelius Video...



http://www.kansas.com/static/video/coal-lovin-governor/





Wal-Mart is investing a half billion dollars to reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of their existing buildings by 20% over the next seven years.

If every Wal-Mart Supercenter met this target... The CO2 emissions from only one medium-sized coal-fired power plant, in just one month of operation each year, would negate this entire effort.

Utilities are proposing 150 coal-burning power plants in the US.



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