To: Hutchinson City Council
Poison Out Of Reno County
We are here as a concerned citizens to discuss the proposed natural gas plant south of Hutchinson and why this project poses significant environmental, economic, and social risks to our community.
1. Environmental Impact:
1. Environmental Impact:
A. Methane Emissions and Climate Change
While natural gas is marketed
as “clean,” it is far from
climate-friendly:
• Methane leaks during
extraction and transport are
80 times more potent than CO₂
in causing global warming
over a 20-year period.
According to the IPCC,
methane emissions
must be cut drastically
to meet global climate goals.
• Kansas is a leader in
renewable energy (especially wind).
• Hutchinson is also home to the
first solar farm in the state of Kansas.
• The project by Good Energy Solutions
and Evergy completed in 2017.
• Building a fossil fuel plant undermines Hutchinson’s potential to transition fully to clean energy.
B. Air and Water Pollution
• The plant will emit
nitrogen oxides (NOₓ)
and particulate matter
which worsen air quality
and are linked to asthma
and respiratory illnesses
especially harmful to children
and the elderly in Reno County.
• Cooling systems will use
significant amounts of water,
placing stress on local
water resources
and potentially harming
nearby ecosystems through
thermal pollution.
2. Economic Risks
A. Long-Term Costs for the Community
• Natural gas plants are
expensive to build and operate
with costs ultimately passed
on to ratepayers through
higher energy bills.
• Investments in fossil fuel
infrastructure risk becoming
stranded assets as the
global energy market shifts
toward renewables
leaving Hutchinson with outdated
and expensive energy systems.
B. Missed Economic Opportunities
Hutchinson and Kansas
as a whole could attract more
clean energy investments:
• Wind and solar projects
create more permanent,
high-paying jobs than
natural gas plants.
Renewable projects provide
greater economic returns
without the environmental
and health downsides.
• By rejecting the plant,
Hutchinson can position itself
as a leader in clean energy,
attracting green businesses
and federal incentives
(e.g., the Inflation Reduction Act’s renewable energy funding).
3. Public Health Concerns
A. Air Quality and Respiratory Illnesses
Reno County already faces
air quality challenges
and this plant will worsen conditions,
leading to increased rates of asthma
and other respiratory diseases.
Children and vulnerable populations
will bear the brunt of these
health impacts.
B. Noise and Habitat Disruption
Construction and operation of the plant
will disrupt local communities
and ecosystems.
Wildlife displacement and noise pollution will negatively affect residents near the site.
4. Contradiction to Hutchinson’s Long-Term Goals
A. Hutchinson’s Leadership in Sustainability
• Hutchinson has the opportunity
to embrace renewable energy projects
that align with the state’s
renewable energy goals.
Building a fossil fuel plant
runs counter to these priorities.
• Transitioning to clean energy
is essential for building a resilient,
forward-thinking community.
B. Climate Responsibility
• Cities across the country
are moving away from fossil fuels
to meet climate goals.
Hutchinson should not fall behind
but rather lead by example
investing in sustainable solutions
that benefit future generations.
5. Viable Alternatives
A. Renewables are Cheaper and Cleaner
Renewable energy costs have
plummeted in recent years:
• Wind and solar are now
cheaper per kilowatt-hour
than natural gas.
Kansas is already a
wind energy leader
Hutchinson can build on
this success.
• Battery storage technology
now provides reliable backup
for renewable energy,
eliminating the need
for fossil fuel plants.
B. Federal Incentives for Clean Energy
• The Inflation Reduction Act
offers federal funding and tax credits
for renewable energy projects.
Hutchinson could leverage
these incentives for solar, wind,
or battery projects.
C. Energy Efficiency Initiatives
• Instead of building a new gas plant, Evergy and the city can focus on energy efficiency programs to reduce demand and modernize the grid.
Call to Action
Call to Action
1. Conduct a comprehensive
environmental and health
impact study to understand
the full risks to the community.
2. Request Evergy to present
renewable energy alternatives
to the gas plant and explore federal
funding opportunities for clean energy.
funding opportunities for clean energy.
3. Pass a resolution committing
Hutchinson to prioritize
Hutchinson to prioritize
renewable energy projects
over new fossil fuel infrastructure.
We have an opportunity to protect our community, safeguard our health, and position Hutchinson as a leader in clean energy innovation. Rejecting the natural gas plant and investing in renewables will ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all of us. Let’s make the right choice for Hutchinson.
We have an opportunity to protect our community, safeguard our health, and position Hutchinson as a leader in clean energy innovation. Rejecting the natural gas plant and investing in renewables will ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all of us. Let’s make the right choice for Hutchinson.
Why is this important?
What do ferries, gas stoves and home heating systems have in common? Many of them run on natural gas. But what many people don't know is that natural gas is a health hazard - for families in BC who live beside the LNG-fracking industry that produces it, for people who burn it in their homes, and for the climate change that is devastating our planet. As doctors and nurses who care for patients and communities across western Canada, we say: it's time we talk about the health effects of natural gas.
What Is "Natural" Gas?
What Is "Natural" Gas?
Natural gas is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases mostly composed of methane. However, despite being branded as "natural," natural gas is a fossil fuel like coal, oil, and gasoline. It fills the air with harmful greenhouse gases and pollutants when it burns.
Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is natural gas that has been cooled and compressed to around negative 160 degrees Celsius for transportation. Canada's largest natural gas reserves are located in northeast British Columbia, deep underground. These reserves are fueling an expanding LNG industry.
Why Is Natural Gas Unhealthy?1. In BC, Most Natural Gas Is Fracked Gas
Why Is Natural Gas Unhealthy?1. In BC, Most Natural Gas Is Fracked Gas
To access gas deposits in BC, fossil fuel companies must use a polluting and water-intensive technique called hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as "fracking," to crack the earth open.Fracking, Explained
Fracking begins with the drilling of a long vertical or angled well that can extend several kilometres into the earth. As the well nears rock formations where the natural gas deposits are, drilling turns horizontal.
A slurry of toxic chemicals, sand and water is then pumped in under high pressure to create fractures in the surrounding rock. Some of the radioactive slurry remains underground, and some returns to the surface, where it is stored in open frack ponds that risk leakage and overflow. Gas also flows to the surface for gathering, processing, and transportation. During its lifetime, each fracking well can consume over 10,000,000 litres of clean water, the majority of which is removed permanently from the water cycle.
There are more than 20,000 fracking wells scattered across northeastern BC, with more wells being drilled every day. These wells destroy forests and farmland. In fact, fracking-related access roads, well pads, water hubs, pipelines, compressor stations, gas plants, and waste disposal in BC cover five times as much land as Alberta tar sands mines.
2. Fracking is a Major Health Threat
The process of fracking is deeply polluting.
It can poison the air, contaminate the water and soil, and imperil the lives of those living close by the well.
There are more than 20,000 fracking wells scattered across northeastern BC, with more wells being drilled every day. These wells destroy forests and farmland. In fact, fracking-related access roads, well pads, water hubs, pipelines, compressor stations, gas plants, and waste disposal in BC cover five times as much land as Alberta tar sands mines.
2. Fracking is a Major Health Threat
The process of fracking is deeply polluting.
It can poison the air, contaminate the water and soil, and imperil the lives of those living close by the well.
Findings from more than 1,700 studies, articles, and reports show that fracking activities are associated with a host of health problems including birth defects, cancer and asthma. It is no wonder that fracking is banned in several countries (including France, Germany, and the UK) and provinces (including Quebec and New Brunswick).
Air Pollution
Harmful gases like benzene and radon are released from the rock by fracking. Cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing are therefore some of the most common complaints from residents living near fracked wells. Similarly, the toxic brew of water and chemicals in frack fluid that returns to the surface is often stored in open pits, releasing volatile organic compounds(VOCs) into the air that can cause asthma, COPD, cancer, and other severe illnesses.
Water Pollution
Each fracking well can pollute over 10 million litres of fresh water, most of which is permanently removed from the water cycle. Hutchinson is already facing “abnormally dry” drought conditions. Harmful chemicals including BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) and heavy metals like mercury and lead have contaminated agricultural soils near fracking operations. Multiple chemicals in produced water are known to have carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting properties, and contain radioactive materials.
Pregnancy
Fracking chemicals are harmful to pregnant women and their developing babies. Researchers have found endocrine-disrupting chemicals in surface waters near wastewater disposal sites, and evidence for increased levels of a degradation product of the carcinogen benzenein the urine of pregnant women. There is also strong evidence linking fracking to preterm labour and low-birth-weight babies.
Earthquakes
BC's Peace region experiences roughly 1,500 small earthquakes a year, most of which are connected to fracking operations. In this part of BC, a total of 439 earthquakes up to 4.6 magnitude were associated with fracking between 2013 and 2019. Fracking can cause earthquakes in two ways:
(1) High-pressure fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing
(2) High-pressure disposal of fracking wastewater (or "produced water") into abandoned wells.
Read more at https://www.unnaturalgas.org/
https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/state/kansas/current-drought-conditions
Air Pollution
Harmful gases like benzene and radon are released from the rock by fracking. Cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing are therefore some of the most common complaints from residents living near fracked wells. Similarly, the toxic brew of water and chemicals in frack fluid that returns to the surface is often stored in open pits, releasing volatile organic compounds(VOCs) into the air that can cause asthma, COPD, cancer, and other severe illnesses.
Water Pollution
Each fracking well can pollute over 10 million litres of fresh water, most of which is permanently removed from the water cycle. Hutchinson is already facing “abnormally dry” drought conditions. Harmful chemicals including BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) and heavy metals like mercury and lead have contaminated agricultural soils near fracking operations. Multiple chemicals in produced water are known to have carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting properties, and contain radioactive materials.
Pregnancy
Fracking chemicals are harmful to pregnant women and their developing babies. Researchers have found endocrine-disrupting chemicals in surface waters near wastewater disposal sites, and evidence for increased levels of a degradation product of the carcinogen benzenein the urine of pregnant women. There is also strong evidence linking fracking to preterm labour and low-birth-weight babies.
Earthquakes
BC's Peace region experiences roughly 1,500 small earthquakes a year, most of which are connected to fracking operations. In this part of BC, a total of 439 earthquakes up to 4.6 magnitude were associated with fracking between 2013 and 2019. Fracking can cause earthquakes in two ways:
(1) High-pressure fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing
(2) High-pressure disposal of fracking wastewater (or "produced water") into abandoned wells.
Read more at https://www.unnaturalgas.org/
https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/state/kansas/current-drought-conditions
How it will be delivered
At City Council