WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today chastised Washington Democrats for continuing to undermine a Kansas issue in their attempts to progress their political agenda. Brownback also called for fair treatment of the issue, the inclusion of both sides in future discussions, and asked that people outside of Kansas look at the facts before using this issue for their own gain.

"While I appreciate the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming holding a hearing to discuss greenhouse gas emissions, I am deeply disappointed with the distortion of Sunflower Electric's record," said Brownback. "It is my hope Chairman Markey (D-Mass.) would correct his misleading comments and have the courtesy to bring in the CEO of Sunflower to correct the record on their electricity generation and environmental stewardship. It is unfortunate no one stood up for Sunflower and set the record straight. Sunflower should be proud of its record and I am proud of this Kansas company."

The House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing today to discuss the Supreme Court case, Massachusetts v. EPA. On the second panel of the hearing, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby and Kansas Representative Josh Svaty (D-Ellsworth), testified on their opposition to the Sunflower plant expansion.

Brownback continued, "Chairman Markey mocked Sunflower throughout the hearing and implied it does not have any renewable sources of energy generation. The truth is Sunflower has 100 megawatts of wind energy and another 25 coming by the end of the year, which is over 13% of its total portfolio. And the Chairman should be above making fun of the name of a solid Kansas company, especially in light of the name Sunflower. I sincerely hope he didn't intend to offend the State of Kansas or the official flower of Kansas."

Sunflower Electric won an award in 2004 from the Electric Power Research Institute for innovative mercury extraction and is widely recognized for their environmental stewardship.

"The Sunflower expansion that the Democratic leaders in Washington try to vilify will be a cutting-edge and revolutionary coal-fired plant. The new coal plants would be part of an integrated bioenergy center that would have significant benefits for the environment. Much of the carbon produced by the coal plants would be captured and used to grow algae, which would be used to make biodiesel. And ethanol, another renewable fuel, would be produced onsite using methane gas from livestock facilities. However, not a word of these pro-environmental aspects was mentioned during this hearing. I sincerely hope my colleagues across the aisle in both chambers of Congress will embrace the facts despite their political agenda."