State officials are asking for public comment on a change in the permit for Sunflower Electric Power Corp. to build a coal-burning electric plant in southwest Kansas.

The permit changed after the Kansas Supreme Court in October told the Kansas Department of Health and Environment the permit had to comply with Environmental Protection Agency regulations on one-hour emission limits for nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The public comment period runs through Feb. 19.

Sunflower Electric has proposed managing the facility while most of the electricity would go to customers of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association in Colorado.

Proponents of the plant say it’ll bring jobs and development. Opponents say the plant will pollute, draw down water reserves and provide electricity that won’t benefit Kansas.

—

Associated Press information from: Lawrence Journal-World