Kentucky River | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Chapter: Kentucky River

Do you want the absolute best for your family and our community? So do we. The Kentucky River chapter of KFTC includes Perry County, Knott County, and Letcher County. If you live in this region, then we invite you to be part of our local KFTC chapter.

We are a diverse group of people – teachers, retired coal miners, students, unemployed, moms, grandparents and many more. We work together – as we have for many years – to protect our water and land, bring new energy and new jobs to our area, share our vision with elected officials and make sure our region is a safe place to call home for everyone.

We support each other, have fun and get things done. Come join us at our next chapter meeting!

Recent Activities

Blackjewel has environmental debts, bankruptcy court told

KFTC Staff on June 25, 2020 in Coal and Water, Enforcement, Big Sandy, , Kentucky River

KFTC and allies have asked a federal bankruptcy judge to consider the environmental liabilities created by Blackjewel LLC and its affiliate mining companies in settling the company’s bankruptcy case.

Blackjewel – the company that gained notoriety last year when it shut down while owing its workers unpaid wages – has unreclaimed mines throughout eastern Kentucky, as well as in Virginia and West Virginia.

In filings earlier this year, Blackjewel assured the court that the majority of its permits and reclamation obligations had been assumed by other operations, which would be responsible for maintaining and reclaiming the sites.

However, there has been no activity to transfer 149 of the 213 permits the company holds in Kentucky, research has revealed. In the meantime, environmental violations continue to grow at many of the sites.

“We’re alarmed by the fact that so few permit transfers have even been initiated, let alone completed. We’re also alarmed by high, and increasing, number of permit violations at the non-transferred permits,” stated the letter written by Mary Cromer with the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, based in Whitesburg.

Many affected as Revelation Energy files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Lisa Abbott on July 9, 2019 in Coal and Water, New Energy and Transition, Community Science & Public Health, , Enforcement, , Just Transition, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Kentucky River

KFTC members and residents of many other coal producing states and regions have followed the activities of Revelation Energy, LLC with increasing alarm in recent years.

They watched closely as the company went a buying spree, acquiring hundreds of mine permits and hundreds of thousands of acres of mines in Kentucky alone from 2014 to 2018. They tracked notices of dozens of safety, health and environmental violations and overdue taxes charged against Revelation Energy, many of which remain outstanding. (According to the Lexington Herald Leader, Revelation Energy has been the top violator of reclamation and environmental rules in each of the last three years.)

And throughout this year, KFTC members actively organized against proposed mining permits and permit amendments sought by Revelation Energy that threaten water quality and community well-being in Harlan and Pulaski counties.

Enterprise Coal Co. "Big Branch" mountaintop removal mine Knott County KY

RECLAIM Act is approved by U.S. House committee

Appalachian Citizens Law Center on May 2, 2019 in Coal and Water, New Energy and Transition, Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Kentucky River, Congress, , RECLAIM Act

After reintroduction in April, the bipartisan RECLAIM Act was debated and voted on during the May 1 House

Kentuckians act to support miners with black lung disease

KFTC staff on November 29, 2018 in Coal and Water, Voting Rights, Just Transition, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Kentucky River, Black Lung, , Congress, , RECLAIM Act

Kentuckians took action today in Washington, DC and London, Kentucky to urge Senator Mitch McConnell and other members of Congress to do right by coal miners with bl

Fixing What's Broke: why Congress must support a Just Transition for miners with black lung and communities

Lisa Abbott on October 21, 2018 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, , Community Science & Public Health, , Energy Democracy, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, , Sustainable Energy, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Kentucky River, , Rowan County, Black Lung, , Climate Justice, , Congress, , Empower Kentucky, , Federal tax policy, , I Love Mountains Day, , Knott County, , Mine Safety, , OSM - Office of Surface Mining, , Power Plants, , RECLAIM Act

A new report from KFTC describes ways Kentuckians are organizing to demand action from Congress – and especially from Senator Mitch McConnell – in support of a Just Transition for miners with black lung disease, retired and laid off miners, and their communities.

To build a new economy in coal communities, the report says Congress should start by "fixing what's broke," including strengthening funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, passing the RECLAIM Act, and protecting miners' pensions.

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Chapter Feature:

Russell Oliver"KFTC empowers residents to bring about positive changes in their communities. It gives members confidence that they can make a difference. You are not one person, but part of a statewide organization of thousands supporting you and your cause."

-Russell Oliver, KFTC member

Regular Meetings:

Hazard, KY 41701
Monthly chapter meeting

Join us every  month for the Kentucky River chapter meeting. We rotate meeting locations so please check the KFTC calendar for most up to date meeting information.

Chapter meetings are a great time to plan local work, discuss local and statewide work, meet new people, and much more. Everyone is welcome and invited to attend! Hope to see you there!

Chapter Organizer:

Hazard, KY 41701

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