Take action to protect Kentucky's waterways

On February 26, a bill passed through Kentucky’s House that could have lasting negative impacts on Kentucky’s water and land. HB 165 would deregulate some quarrying and extraction of rock from waterways. It creates a loophole that allows people to mine rock and non-coal minerals from waterways without regulation, as long as they own the property and use the material for “on-farm purposes.” Under current law, any such activity is subject to state regulation to protect public safety, property and the environment. 

Making this change could have adverse effects, including:

• Decreased water quality and damage to aquifers, both of which can harm downstream neighbors;
• Blasting damage from vibration and flyrock that can endanger lives or negatively impact other properties and structures;
• Lack of reclamation of disturbed areas, including excavated pits that could pose a public safety problem.

Take Action

One person who is well positioned to stop this bill is Sen. Jared Carpenter. He represents Madison, Lincoln and Rockcastle Counties and is the chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. That’s where this bill will go next.  
 
Madison County KFTC members have recently had several constructive meetings with Sen. Carpenter about a wide range of important issues. While we don’t always see eye-to-eye, he has been willing to listen. That’s why it’s so important to make our voices heard on this issue. We can make an important difference on a bad bill that seems otherwise headed towards passage.

Please call 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message for Sen. Jared Carpenter. 
Message: “Please protect Kentucky’s waterways by opposing HB 165 and not giving it a hearing in your committee. This bill can have lasting negative impacts on our water and land.”

Thanks for speaking out to protect our water! 

Let us know if you hear back from Senator Carpenter on this issue by emailing Beth Bissmeyer at [email protected]. 

More details about this bill can be found in testimony made by Tom FitzGerald of the Kentucky Resources Council before a house committee. His remarks can be found here.