Sunflower on wrong path

Eleven million, how much is 11 million? Our politicians, and of course Sunflower executives, throw this figure around nonchalantly as if it were nothing. Let's try to visualize how much 11 million really is. Oh, by the way, this is the approximate amount of tons of CO2 the two new coal-fired power plants would spew into the atmosphere each and every year they would operate.

An average semi truck hauls 40,000 pounds or 20 tons, at this rate 550,000 truckloads would be required to haul all of this pollution annually. (The only problem with this visualization, is the 11 million tons would not be captured but simply put in our atmosphere to add to the global warming problem.)

Who can visualize 550,000 trucks? Not me! Let's try this, assuming a truck and trailer is 60 feet long, 88 trucks would equal a mile. If you would line those trucks in a line from the border of Oklahoma to Nebraska on U.S. Highway 83, which is 220 miles, you would have 19,360 trucks. That would take more than 28 rows of trucks or 6,250 miles of trucks to haul all of this pollution each and every year those plants would be in operation.

Why does Sunflower and these politicians continue to push this huge mistake? I understand Sunflower's stance. This cooperative is married to the Wyoming coal, having some of Sunflower's executives on the board of that Wyoming entity. Our politicians perhaps only see the $3.6 billion that these plants would supposedly bring to southwest Kansas. Just think how many wind generators could be put on line for that same $3.6 billion. Oh, the coal people in Wyoming would not like that, but at least we would prevent 11 million tons of CO2 from entering our atmosphere annually.

Base load is the common short answer as to why these coal-fired plants are needed. Wind is not constant so we need a constant power source. Well, check this out. In southwest Minnesota, being attached to wind generators is a system of batteries so power can be stored and then put on line when needed. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but at least they are trying to come up with an answer. Contrast that to Sunflower. How are they coming with the algae system? Oh, they aren't willing to attach it to their current facility to see if it works. Perhaps because it costs too much to just add the system and not get any monetary return on that investment? If they did this, and it did work, Sunflower would at least have an actual solution to the problem.

Is it not ironic that this same week at least 10 governors are meeting to discuss ways to address climate change? Yes, Gov. Sebelius from Kansas is attending. You can bet none of those people attending are proposing building more coal-fired power plants. Visualize this, going the wrong way on a one-way street, that is the direction of Sunflower and many of our politicians.

CLEON HANSON,

Garden City

Bad experience in Garden City

On April 9 at about 12:45 p.m., my wife and I were driving through downtown Garden City looking for a place to have lunch and to do some shopping when I was stopped by the police for changing lanes without signaling. Being from Montana, I did not argue the points there were no traffic behind me when I changed lanes, and the lines in the street were so faint they looked like they were last painted during the Eisenhower administration.

I was let off with a "warning." But it occurred to us later that because "Deputy Fife" was accompanied by another officer who was closely watching the proceedings, the whole thing was a training exercise conducted at the expense of someone with out-of-state license plates. In fact, as I exited my vehicle to remove my coat and put it in the back seat, a look of terror came over "Fife's" face as if I were Osama bin Laden himself. I feel lucky he didn't shoot me. Needless to say, my wife and I did not have lunch or shop in Garden City, nor will we in the future. And I suspect the reason I was stopped for having out-of-state license plates is because the fine citizens of Garden City wouldn't put up with this nonsense.

RICHARD E. WACKROW,

Polebridge, Mont.

Keep air clean for children

I see that Sen. Tiechman is running radio ads now promoting her health care plans for Kansas children.

If she helps Sen. Emler and others get the coal plants in Garden City built, then my guess is we will need better health care for Kansas children, especially near Holcomb and Garden City where they will be pumping carbon dioxide, mercury and other contaminates into the air. I don't understand how you can promote pumping contaminates into the air and then act like you are really concerned about the welfare of Kansas children. If they care about our children, then let's take a closer look at keeping Kansas air clean and supporting solar and wind energy and safeguarding our planet.

RANDY MYERS,

Great Bend