Nine KFTC members sat in a semicircle with a four-foot scroll in front of them. They had come to Frankfort Thursday to declare the need for real political leadership.

One by one, they read paragraphs from “The Unified Declaration of Members in Good Standing of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.” Modeled after the Declaration of Independence, the statement included the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident …” and went on to state:

We believe that embedded within these rights that have defined our nation are additional rights to be respected and preserved, that among these are the right to breathe clean air and drink safe water, the opportunity of a basic education for our children and safe employment. We believe everyone should enjoy the opportunity to worship freely and the right to speak openly without fearing for their jobs or attack from their neighbor.

The Declaration included specific grievances about the legislature’s dominance by the coal industry and its eagerness to please powerful energy interests while ignoring the needs of its constituents. Members called on Governor Steve Beshear and House leaders Greg Stumbo and Rocky Adkins to:

• Invite a genuine, open conversation among all stakeholders leading to a new vision and ideas for a more prosperous, healthy and sustainable economy in Kentucky, and especially in our Appalachian counties.
• Call for an immediate end to extreme and sometimes violent speech that is being aimed at citizens who are working to protect Kentucky’s land, air and water.
• Oppose legislation that puts the interest of the coal industry ahead of the public interest.
• And vigorously support clean energy legislation and the Stream Saver Bill.

Members also asked that a new chair and members of the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, who are not among the legislature’s strongest pro-coal and anti-environment members, be appointed.

“It is not an accident that the committee has a preponderance of coal interests on it,” said Doug Doerrfeld. “All that we are asking is that they be representative of all the people.”

In written documentation of the grievances, they cited a remark by committee vice-chair Rep. Keith Hall, sponsor of numerous pro-coal/anti-people bills, regarding his appointment by House leaders as co-chair of an interim energy committee: “I don’t think I got that position by accident.”

Kentucky author Wendell Berry and retired miner Carl Shoupe

Following the reading, members answered questions from the press. That included explaining the difference between supporting coal miners and supporting the coal industry. They provided oral and written examples of how miners are disrespected and harassed, by legislators and the industry, just as those fighting against mountaintop removal are.

KFTC and people in eastern Kentucky are not supporting “coal, the industry, but coal, the worker, which is different than supporting everything the industry perpetuates on a community,” explained Beverly May.

Asked about electing better leaders, Patty Wallace replied: “We’d love to send somebody else, but our hands are tied by the coal industry.”

Member Carl Shoupe agreed. “Coal has such a stranglehold in Eastern Kentucky. People dislike mountaintop removal. People dislike strip mining.”  But he explained that almost no family in his community is not tied to coal in some way, through a direct or indirect job of family member – and they feel that threat.