KDHE COAL PLANT

October 14, 2010

 KDHE Bureau of Air,

    The Ecumenical Christian Ministries Advisory Board and Leadership Team at the University of Kansas ask you to deny Sunflower's most recent air permit application in relation to the Holcomb plant. We are contacting you because of our commitment to sustainability, earth care, and energy efficiency through the refurbishment of our building and mission as a campus ministry. We are installing much more efficient HVAC along with interior storm windows on an 18,000 sq.foot, 50 year old building recently placed on the National Historic Registry.

    The construction of the Holcomb plant, in many ways, tends to negate our efforts.  Given the urgency of the need to curtail health hazards, decrease energy consumption and our commitment to the well being of future generations, we object to the Holcomb plant construction.

    These comments are supported by both the ECM Advisory Board and Leadership Team. They are composed of students, faculty and others as voting members. We are "ecumenical" due to four denominations (Presbyterian (USA), United Church of Christ, Quaker, Church of the Brethren) having covenanted to be in ministry together.  ECM is one of the largest campus ministries at KU and serves over 1000 individuals a month who use our building and are involved in a variety of programs.

Thad Holcombe,

Campus Minister for ECM at KU