EPA Claims KDHE Lied During Permitting Process

A federal agency is accusing Kansas Department of Health and Environment lawyers of lying to the state Supreme Court about a permit for a $2.8 billion coal-fired power plant in southwest Kansas.

Environmental Protection Agency officials say KDHE lawyers weren’t honest in written arguments last month when they said EPA had no objection to the Sunflower permit.

EPA Region 7 administrator Karl Brooks said in a letter to KDHE on Monday that the EPA has sent the department three letters saying the permit was not strict enough.

The letter also told the state its permit could be modified to meet
federal pollution standards.

The fight over the proposed plant, to be built near Holcomb, has spanned six years.