TOPEKA — Depending on who you listen to, next year Kansans will: A — Have to live with rolling blackouts and pay more for the privilege, or; B – Have nothing at all happen, other than listen to utility companies whine. Kansas utilities and the state are trying to block a new federal rule limiting power plant emissions in a federal appeals court in Washington. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental groups are defending it. The Kansas City Star reported that the rule requires utilities in 21 states from Kansas east to the Atlantic to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants that are blowing air pollution to other states. Kansas utilities say that the rules came so quickly and are so tough that they can’t comply in time, causing blackouts and brownouts. They say their customers will also face higher utility bills to pay for more than $100 million in new pollution control costs. The EPA calls it scare talk and says the cost will be far less — between $5 million and $30 million. The EPA and environmentalists say the new rule will prevent 83 to 210 deaths each year in Kansas and save from $700 million to $1.7 billion in annual in health care costs.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m.
