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Acid rain permit renewal OKed for rural GB electric station
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Susan Thacker
Published: Jan 13, 2025, 8:37 PM

A public hearing on Dec. 30, 2024, in Great Bend raised concern about an acid rain permit renewal for the Sunflower Electric Corporation’s station at 335 NW 50 Ave. in rural Great Bend. The permit has been approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as presented with no changes. However, one issue raised at the hearing did result in change.

Those who attended the public hearing learned that Sunflower has had this permit since 2005 and it has been renewed every five years. Sunflower Electric was not seeking anything new or different but wanted to renew the permit for another five years. That was not clear in the legal notice published in the Great Bend Tribune.

“Going forward, public notices for Acid Rain Permits will state if the permits are renewals,” the official response to the hearing states. “The previous notice title, ‘Notice Concerning Proposed Phase II Acid Rain Permit,’ will be changed to ‘Notice Concerning Proposed Phase II Acid Rain Permit Renewal.’”

The Acid Rain Permit renewal for the Sunflower Electric Great Bend Station was renewed on Dec. 31, 2024.

Parker Robb, engineering trainee with the permitting section at the Bureau of Air, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said no changes were made to the draft permit available prior to and during the public hearing.

The KDHE Bureau of Air published the comments and its response to comments made at the public hearing, noting one attendee (Jettie Zoller from Hoisington), gave oral testimony at the Dec. 30 hearing.

Its summary of her comments reads, “One commenter requested more information regarding the Acid Rain Permit program. The KDHE and EPA websites indicate that sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (which cause acid rain) are detrimental to the health of humans, contributing to respiratory illness and heart and lung diseases, especially in children and the elderly. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides also affect the health of wildlife, soils, water, trees, crops, and buildings, which are damaged by the acid rain formed by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Acid Rain Permits that allow facilities to emit additional sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides should not be issued if sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxides, and acid rain have such an effect as described by the KDHE and EPA websites.”

The response and rationale concludes, “The proposed Acid Rain Permit renewal complies with all requirements of the federal Acid Rain program as regulated in 40 CFR Part 72, Permits Regulation. The purpose of an Acid Rain Permit is to identify the sulfur dioxide emission allowances initially allocated to a facility’s electric generating units (EGUs) in the federal Acid Rain program’s market-based cap and trade program, as well as any applicable nitrogen oxide emission limits. Initial sulfur dioxide allowances are codified in 40 CFR 73, Subpart B (Sulfur Dioxide Allowance System), and nitrogen oxides emission limits in 40 CFR 76 (Acid Rain Nitrogen Oxides Emission Reduction Program). Acid Rain Permits must be renewed every five years on a predetermined schedule. ...

“The number of Acid Rain program sulfur dioxide allowances actually held by a permitted facility in its account may differ from the number initially allocated due to allowance trades with other facilities. Great Bend Station Unit GB3 is not subject to an emission limitation for nitrogen oxides under the Acid Rain program.”

The permit allows for the plant to emit up to one ton of sulfur dioxide per year.
Police busy with Meth arrests
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Published: Mar 13, 2025, 7:40 PM

Great Bend Chief of Police Steve Haulmark issued a press release Thursday morning pertaining to the arrest of three individuals on drug and weapons charges.

At approximately 2:25 p.m., Monday, March 10, an officer with the Great Bend Police Department stopped a white in color Chevrolet Tahoe in the 800 block of Morphy Street in Great Bend, driven by Mitchell Anspaugh, W/M 63. Anspaugh was placed under arrest for driving with a suspended driver’s license. Great Bend Police K9 Niko responded to the stop to assist. A free air sniff of the vehicle was performed during which K9 Niko alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics in the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and located methamphetamine, evidence of distribution, and drug paraphernalia. 

Anspaugh was transported the Barton County Jail on requested charges of Distribution of Methamphetamine (3.5-100 grams), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Drug Tax Stamp, and Driving While Suspended. Anspaugh was booked in lieu of $100,000 cash surety bond. Anspaugh was also booked on an outstanding Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for Failure To Appear. Anspaugh was booked on $1,000 cash surety bond for the warrant.

Later that same day, at approximately 5:47 p.m., officers from the Great Bend Police Department responded to United Parcel Services located at 2316 9th Street in Great Bend in reference to a suspicious package. Upon arrival, officers were notified that a package had been intercepted by staff and flagged as suspicious. Inside of the suspicious package, officers discovered 7.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden within the contents of the package. Shortly thereafter, the investigating officers were able to identify the suspect attempting to mail the package.

On Tuesday, March 11, officers from the Great Bend Police Department responded to a residence located at 2087 NW 60th Street, in Stafford County, in reference to the execution of a Narcotics Search Warrant. Upon arrival, officers apprehended the suspect from the UPS incident identified as Chandler Wieland, W/M 57. Officers also apprehended Lisa Rugan, W/F 56, at the residence. During a search of the residence, officers located over 100 grams of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, other controlled substances, evidence of drug distribution, as well as illegal and stolen firearms. 

Wieland was arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail. Wieland was booked on two (2) counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Controlled Substances, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Use of Weapons, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and No Drug Tax Stamp. Rugan was also arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail. Rugan was booked on one (1) count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, Felony Interference with Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Controlled Substances, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Criminal Use of a Weapon, and No Drug Tax Stamp.  

These investigations are still ongoing. Anyone with further information regarding these or any other crimes is encouraged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crimestoppers at 620-792-1300 or online at p3tips.com.