IN THE NEWS
June 27, 2019
Erosion, landslide and pollution. Coal industry's compliance with fedral rules down
By Bill Estep, Herald-Leader
Only 57 percent of surface coal mine permits in Kentucky were free of violations during oversight inspections in the most recent evaluation, a continued low rate of industry compliance on environmental and reclamation rules..."In any event, the continued slide in the number of sites that are not in compliance, and the number of OSM-observed violations, is a troubling trend,” - Tom FitzGerald, KRC Director
May 30, 2019
LG&E spurned Bullitt County pipeline route recommended in 2015 study
By Marcus Green, WDRB
In the summer of 2015, a contractor for Louisville Gas & Electric Co. finished studying possible routes for a new natural gas pipeline that would connect to an existing line in Bullitt County. The firm, EnSite USA, reviewed 10 corridors for the new line and ranked them based on cost and impact on streams, land use, threatened and endangered species and other factors. EnSite recommended that LG&E build a 13-mile pipeline starting near Coxs Creek in Nelson County and running northwest to the Jim Beam distillery south of Shepherdsville, according to confidential documents recently made public. That route was slightly better than a 15.5-mile path between Bardstown and the distillery that also would travel northward.
May 9, 2019
Lead and Other Everyday Environmental Dangers
By Patrick Reed, KET
Environmental factors such as air and water quality play a pivotal role in public health, as populations who live in areas with pollution, decaying buildings, and/or an unsafe, contaminated drinking supply are at a high risk of developing a myriad of health problems. How can we become educated about environmental issues to safeguard our own living spaces and also become effective advocates for better regulation of these essential ingredients to our ecosystem? Read more...
May 5, 2019
With or without Green New Deal, Kentucky's energy future is heading away from coal
By Matt Mencarini, Louisville Courier Journal
Over the past five years, the state has made its first significant shift away from coal power, thanks to cheaper natural gas. The move comes as the Green New Deal and its ambitious policy proposals push conversations about Kentucky's energy future further into the political arena. Read more...
April 18, 2019
Landfill amendment process reviewed
By Hannah Woosley of the Georgetown News-Graphic
Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council and attorney to advise the Scott County Fiscal Court regarding the solid waste management plans happening in the county, was back at a fiscal court special meeting on Monday. Read more...
April 12, 2019
Kentucky plan to reduce Mammoth Cave haze approved by EPA
By Stephanie Hill for The Herald-Dispatch
Kentucky Resources Council Director Tom FitzGerald at the 2017 KGS annual seminar
Kentucky Geological Survey
The Kentucky Resources Council is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the conservation and prudent use of Kentucky’s natural resources. Since 1984, we have dedicated ourselves to protecting Kentucky’s land, air, water, and communities.