In a positive step for community throughout Kentucky, a federal judge last week agreed with a broad coalition of local, state and national groups that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to set federal regulations for the safe and proper disposal of toxic coal ash.
On September 13th and 14th KFTC members and allies, anchored by members coming from Scott County, attended a Mountain Witness Tour visiting members from Letcher and Harlan counties. The group, which included members from the Northern Kentucky and Scott County chapters, a blogger named Stormy, her daughter, allies from the Georgetown College Sustainability Initiative, and members of Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition, began the weekend by visiting Wiley’s Last Resort on top of Pine Mountain.
Thirty people from nine counties in three different states came to Appalshop in Letcher County to learn how to do basic tests of local streams, to talk about water quality issues we face in the mountains, and to learn how to get involved with work organizations from around the region are doing related to clean water.
Residents of the Stacy Branch and Lotts Creek communities in Knott and Perry counties were relieved last week when a federal judge placed a temporary halt on mining activities that involve a massive valley fill.
More than 10,000 young people from across the country are making plans to converge in Pittsburgh October 18-21 for a conference known as Power Shift 2013. The event is being planned by and for young activists who are working to solve the climate crisis and build a clean, just and thriving economy that work for workers and young people.
KFTC is collaborating with the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition (KSEC) to help send a large, diverse set of Kentuckians to this event.
Please use the form below if you are interested in representing KFTC at Power Shift 2013. All KFTC members are welcome to apply for one of 10 available spots. We’ll give special consideration to young people and people who live in communities directly affected by extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
Whether or not KFTC is able to directly support your participation in Power Shift, we’ll do our best to connect everyone with information about registration, transportation and lodging being organized by KSEC. To learn more about and support KSEC’s efforts to send a total of 500 Kentuckians to Power Shift 2013, you can visit www.kystudentenvironmentalcoalition.org
The question that will haunt future generations is why the state and federal officials so often chose to protect the coal industry instead instead of the people who live in the communities where coal is mined.
The two-party arrangement in Kentucky really has not much to do with Republicans and Democrats. The two parties that actually matter are the Party of Coal and the Party of All Else.
We all know money talks, but surely not to the American justice system, right? Bruce Stanely knows it does, at least in West Virginia where powerful coal baron Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy, bought two West Virginia Supreme Court Justices. Stanely, presenting the book about his experience, The Price of Justice, told 55 attendees in an overflow crowd at Carmichael’s Book Store Frankfort Ave. about the 14-year struggle he took part in against Massey Energy and its coal baron mastermind Blankenship. The struggle would result in sabotaged computers, behind the scenes trips to the French Riviera, betrayal by disgruntled lovers, and winning a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s the sort of intrigue that usually belongs in a Grisham novel—in fact, Grisham has publicly said he wishes he wrote the book.
Over the past two months, members from around eastern Kentucky have gathered for workshops in Harlan and Floyd Counties, where they learned the basics of water testing, gained hands-on experience by testing water in nearby streams, and learned how our health is tied the health of our water.
That's how the Kentuckians of Jefferson County kicked-off their 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 22, 2013.
In the heart of Butchertown – down the block from the former Jefferson County chapter office – the Tim Faulkner Gallery hosted the Birthday Bash, which featured music from a variety of local artists including Leigh Ann Yost and The Blacktop Farmers.
