The Battle of Kansas Coal

Oil prices are dominating the headlines, but important developments are rattling other parts of the far-flung energy business, too – including a potential watershed moment for the coal industry.

Last week, in a victory for Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, her foes in the state legislature abandoned efforts to overturn her veto of a bill that would have essentially forced her to accept the construction of two new coal-fired power plants in the western part of her state. Coal plant plans are drawn up and dropped all the time, but these were different.

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Posted by Steven Mufson on May 27, 2008 12:50 PM