We need your participation at upcoming hearings on fracking
Should Kentucky allow the development of high volume hydraulic fracking for oil and gas or should we ban it like other states and municipalities have? If it’s going to be allowed, how should it be controlled so as to minimize damage to workers, neighbors, water, air and land? Or are those concerns even of any consequence?
The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet wants to hear the public’s views on those issues at three public hearing to take place in July. The input will be compiled for an oil and gas “working group” that was formed in 2014 to advise the cabinet on oil and gas development, including fracking.
The public hearings will take place as follows:
For all hearings the doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. local time. |
So far, state officials and the General Assembly have embraced an anticipated boom in high volume hydraulic fracking. The working group proposed legislation earlier this year to update state laws governing oil and gas drilling, and regulate some aspects of fracking. That legislation was passed by the General Assembly.
KFTC advocated for a ban on high-volume hydraulic fracking until the health and environmental consequences are better understood and eliminated. Legislative leaders did not allow that proposal to go forward.
The working group is continuing it meetings with the possibility that it will propose additional changes to state law.
KFTC will be developing detailed talking points and actions for people to take in the coming weeks.
If you think you can attend one of the hearings, please contact KFTC organizer Kevin Pentz (606-335-0764 or [email protected]).
Issue Area(s):
Speak Up!
Though much will be discussed about the particulars of oil and gas extraction, Kentucky needs to back up and ask the more important question – wouldn't it be better to protect people and the communities where we live by banning high-volume hydraulic fracking as other states have done? Simply to regulate the worst impacts of fracking, as the governor and General Assembly seemed inclined to do, legitimizes the harm that will be done to our health and the contaminated communities that will be with us for decades.
More fracking and the accompanying infrastructure (pipelines, waste disposal wells, etc.) is an investment that takes us down the wrong energy path, and denies Kentuckians clean energy jobs, healthier communities, and a more sustainable and less costly energy future. Kentucky has an opportunity, right now, to invest in clean energy jobs and economic growth that comes from solar deployment, wind development, use of combined heat and power, and savings from energy efficiency. We need to make that choice.
We encourage Kentuckians to let state officials know (by attending one of the hearings or submitting written comments) that you support the following path forward:
- Promote the development of renewable and sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency. A good start would be to pass the Clean Energy Opportunity Act and embrace the 28,000 new Kentucky jobs it will create over the next 10 years, and to renew tax credits for renewable energy.
- Do not allow high volume hydraulic fracking in Kentucky that puts all Kentuckians at risk and makes us more dependent on dirty fossil fuels.
- Oppose new construction and repurposing of pipelines that puts Kentuckians at risk and make us more dependent on dirty fossil fuels.
- Protect the Ohio River from becoming a disposal pipeline for fracking wastes.
