Nov 14 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - David Klepper The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Refusing to give up after the state rejected their plans, backers of a proposed coal plant in western Kansas came to Johnson County on Tuesday seeking allies.

Civic leaders from western Kansas and executives from Sunflower Electric Power Corp. told legislators and business leaders from the county that the plant's rejection wasn't just a rural issue. Instead, they said, it's an issue of fairness that if unchallenged could chill economic investment throughout the state.

Winning over lawmakers from Johnson County could prove decisive for Sunflower. Already, the utility has the support of many rural lawmakers. Several have argued that the Legislature should overrule the decision by Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby and allow the plant to be built. Winning over Johnson County lawmakers -- who make up a large and powerful bloc of legislators -- would make such an attempt more likely.

At least one prominent Johnson County lawmaker needs little encouragement. Senate Vice President John Vratil, a Leawood Republican, said the Legislature should take a firm stand in favor of the plant.

"The Legislature needs to take legislative action to overrule Bremby's decision," Vratil said. He said the issue was "much larger than just the Holcomb plant," and could scare away future economic investment in Kansas if the decision frightened off other businesses.

Sunflower hoped to build two 700-megawatt coal-fired generators at an existing plant near Holcomb. Most of the electricity would serve out-of-state customers. The $3.6 billion plant was hailed by lawmakers from western Kansas as the largest economic development project in western Kansas history.

That is, until last month, when Bremby rejected the plant, citing the 11 million tons of carbon dioxide the plant was predicted to release annually into the atmosphere. The plant's contribution to climate change, he said, was simply too much to allow, even though the state does not regulate carbon emissions.

Now, backlash against the decision guarantees that the plant rejection will be a key issue when the Legislature returns to Topeka in January. That has supporters of the plant proposal looking for any political help they can find.

"We see this as a usurpation of the legislative branch's rights to set policy," Mark Calcara, Sunflower vice president and general counsel, told the audience at one of two meetings Tuesday at the University of Kansas-Edwards Campus.

Sunflower has said it will likely challenge Bremby's decision in court.

Senate President Steve Morris and House Speaker Melvin Neufeld have criticized the decision.

If enough lawmakers like Vratil follow their lead, it would set up a contentious fight between the Legislature and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius is Bremby's boss and has supported his decision.

Rep. Gene Rardin, an Overland Park Democrat, hasn't yet made up his mind on the issue. He attended one of the meetings Tuesday.

"I'm in the information-gathering phase right now," he said afterward. "I think this is going to be a hot issue."

To reach David Klepper, call 785-354-1388 or send e-mail to dklepper@kcstar.com.