Kentuckians deserve a natural resources commissioner who will enforce the law

Energy Cabinet Secretary Len Peters may soon name a replacement for Carl Campbell, the Natural Resources commissioner he fired on Tuesday. Who gets that job will tell us a lot about what to expect from Steve Beshear in his second term.

If Gov. Beshear wants to leave a legacy, he could start with Clean Water. In counties where coal is produced, that means enforcing the law – including the way coal mining is permitted and disturbed land is reclaimed. The Natural Resources commissioner oversees both these programs, as well as forestry, conservation, mine safety, oil and gas drilling and abandoned mine lands.

The Clean Water Act and the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act recognize – and so should Beshear, Peters and whoever they name – the important role that citizens play in monitoring environmental quality in their communities, and reporting violations.  It hits pretty close to home for many KFTC members, when their foundations crack, communities flood and wells fill with methane gas as a result of out-of-control coal companies.

It should go without saying that the new commissioner should be someone committed to enforce the law, which means improving the cabinet’s performance of recent years. It should be a person genuinely interested in regular dialogue with residents affected by mining practices. It should be someone who demands and inspires their inspectors to do a good job, and then has their backs when they take the proper enforcement actions.

The coal industry is lobbying for Allen Luttrell, the current mine permits director. That support alone should tell KFTC members all we need to know about his qualifications.

The new commissioner will not have an easy job. There resides in the cabinet a culture of non-enforcement. It will take a determined individual, allowed to do their job, if this is to change in Gov. Beshear’s second term.

Take Action

Please contact Gov. Steve Beshear’s office to let him know you want someone committed to and allowed to do their job as the next natural resources commssioner.

Message:  Gov. Beshear, Kentuckians are sick and dying because our environmental and public health laws are poorly enforced. Please see to it that the new natural resources commissioner is committed to working with all Kentuckians to protect our health and our land, air and water by enforcing the law.

There are several ways to convey this message to Gov. Beshear:

1. Call his office and leave a message – 502-564-2611


2. Fax him a letter – 502-564-2517


3. Use his online comment form

Thank you for taking action!