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Concerned Citizens of Platte County, Inc. (CCPC)

Mar., 2008 Newsletter

Contents






Events



Platte County Sustainable Living Show-Mar. 15-10am-3pm. Platte County Middle School, Platte City.

Find out about the newest wind and solar technologies, how to make your home or business more energy efficient, take a look at hybrid and electric vehicles, and sample organic food.

Vendors will include Bread of Life, Bridging the Gap, The Energy Savings Store, Hayes Insulation, Home Performance Services, Hathmore Technologies, Jay Wolfe Toyota Hybrids, KCMO Natural Gas Vehicles, KCP&L, MAEAA Electric Cars, Martha LaFite Nature Center, Performance Homes, Platte Clay Electric, Platte County Green Build, Renewal by Anderson Windows, Sierra Club, SIP Builders, Wells Family Farms, 10,000 Raingardens, and many others.

Workshops will include presentations about home energy efficiency, Toyota Hybrids, Natural Gas Vehicles, building with SIP Panels, insulation, and organic meats.

Bring in your gently used books for re-circulation through the "Books for the Planet" program.

Contact Debie at debieasher@hotmail.com or www.ccpcmo.org for more info.


Sierra Club Meeting - Mar 4 - 7pm - Discovery Center, 4750 Troost - Dennis Murphy - update on KCMO Climate Protection Plan. melissa.hope@sierraclub.org

Kansas Clean Energy Day - Mar. 11 - 11am - Topeka Capitol. www.kansascleanenergy.com

Earth Fair - Apr. 12 - 10-3pm - Shawnee Mission East High School - Mary Helen Korlebik - mhkor@kc.rr.com

Green Switch Ceremony - April 18 - 9-5pm - Rockport, MO - Main St. - Celebrating first 100% wind powered city in the nation. Linda Kirkland - lmkirkland@live.com

BTG 's Earthwalk/Earthfest - Apr. 19 - Shawnee Mission Park - 9am Earthwalk - 10-2pm Earthfest- http://www.bridgingthegap.org/egap.php?id=183

Going Green 2008 - April 21 - 11-3pm - Johnson County Community College - Behind Commons - Ben Leary at curiousmonky@yahoo.com


Holcomb plant and the Kansas Legislature - Urgent Action needed!



The Kansas Legislature is trying hard to overturn the decision to stop the Holcomb coal plant expansion. Both chambers have passed legislation allowing the new plants, but without a veto proof margin in the House. The action is fast and furious. Visit www.gpace.org, www.climateandenergy.org, and www.kansascleanenergy.com for the latest info. Also plan to attend Kansas Clean Energy Day on Mar 11(see events above). Keep calling your legislators!


AECI Coal plant near Norborne gets permit



MDNR recently issued the construction permit for the plant. Normally this would mean that construction could begin, but AECI is reportedly having difficulty getting financing. Rather than borrowing from the Rural Utilities Service, they are looking toward private financing. The company also has to revisit their mercury controls in light of a recent court decision tightening the rules. Sierra Club has plans to appeal the permit decision.


Missouri Legislation



Legislation to give incentives to utilities to choose energy efficiency investments over new coal plants has been introduced in the house by the Republican Chair of the Utilities Committee. We support this bill as long as nothing bad is added. http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills081/bills/HB2298.htm

Lots of other good legislation is proposed to protect our property values from Confined Animal Feeding Operations, promote energy efficiency and renewable energy. Check out our website for a list of the bills we are watching... http://www.ccpcmo.org/tell/legislative1.html.


Opposition to Development in Platte County Growing



Opposition to a 680 home subdivision at Hwy 92 and Winan Road called Lake at Tomahawke has stiff opposition from local residents. Their concerns are summarized at www.noto500homes.com. Interestingly, the current landowner is Hal Swaney - the local farmer that spurred formation of CCPC when he proposed a large hog confinement operation near Camden Point in the 1990s. A larger issue for the County Commission is that zoning and our land use plan do not match. This property is zoned Residential Multi Dwelling while the land use plan calls for much less dense development. This will be an interesting question for the upcoming election of County Commissioners.


MO Petition will require utilities use Renewable Energy



An initiative petition has been approved for circulation by the Sec. Of State that will require utilities to gradually source more power from renewables. About 125,000 signatures will be needed by May 4th to get it on the November ballot. Twenty- four states have renewable energy requirements - Missouri passed legislation last year that only recommends it. Visit www.renewmo.org for more info on upcoming signature gathering trainings.


KCPL Defers Plan for Wind Farm



A recent KC Star article reported that KCPL has put on hold plans for their next wind farm and raises concerns about their commitment to our agreement -http://www.kansascity.com:80/344/story/500701.html.

KCPL is not in violation of our agreement, which calls for an additional 100 MW - but not until 2010. We met with KCPL earlier this year and they explained the difficulty they have been having with the credit markets to finance another wind farm right now. We are not alarmed by this development but remain watchful.


Homebuyers willing to pay more for energy efficiency



Nearly three-fourths of homeowners in the National Assn of Homebuilders' survey said that energy-efficient features would most influence their decision to purchase a home. Of the more than 2,300 homeowners in the survey, 51 percent said they would pay $5,000 to $11,000 more upfront for a new house if they could save on their utility bills. Sixteen percent said they would pay more than $11,000. Building Products Magazine - 2/15/08.


Kansas Wind for Schools Program



Know a rural school in Kansas that wants a Skystream Wind Turbine for educational purposes? www.eece.ksu.edu/psg/wac for more info.


Headlines



Wall Street Shows Skepticism over Coal. http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB120209079624339759.html

Biofuels a Greenhouse Threat. http://www.kansascity.com/news/changing_climate/

Boonville Daily News Survey Results - 83% believe in Local Control of CAFOs

Congressman Waxman Joins Fray Over Holcomb Coal Fired Plants. http://www.kansascity.com/344/story/490873.html

KCPL isn't disclosing cost overruns of new Iatan plant, anonymous letter says. http://www.kansascity.com:80/business/story/490654.html (editorial note - This is not a surprise - coal will continue to be a bottomless money pit for electric customers - and we haven't even started to pay for carbon yet!)

Study debunks 'global cooling' concerns of 1970's. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2008-02-20-global-cooling_N.htm

Westar releases energy plan. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/02/25/westar-releases-energy-plan/


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