The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has delayed for too long steps to protect communities from toxic coal ash, so a group of state and national groups, including KFTC, threatened today to sue the federal agency.

The groups delivered to EPA officials a Notice of Intent to Sue letter on January 18. It gives the agency 60 days to respond before the groups can file a lawsuit.

“With many coal ash dumps located in populated areas, the public depends on EPA to do everything possible to protect our health and keep our communities safe,” said KFTC member Mary Love. “We need strong standards so we can not only clean up communities that have already been poisoned but make sure these toxins never again leak into our homes and communities."

Coal ash contains a toxic mix of arsenic, lead, hexavalent chromium, mercury, selenium, cadmium and other dangerous pollutants that results from burning coal.

The coal ash dump at the Cane Run Power plant in Louisville

"Imagine this toxic ash embedded in your child's lungs," said Kathy Little, who participated on a national tele-press conference announcing the action. Little lives just a few hundred yards from a coal ash disposal site in Louisville.

"It's a horrible feeling. This ash is everywhere," she said, adding that she has to use a special cleanser to get the ash off her home and furniture. "We have no buffer zone. Homes are within 50 yards of the coal ash landfill and pond."

Three years ago, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced plans to set federal coal ash rules by year’s end. In May 2010, the EPA proposed a hybrid regulation to classify coal ash either as hazardous or non-hazardous waste. After eight public hearings across the country and more than 450,000 public comments, the agency decided to delay finalizing the rule amid intense pressure from the coal and power industries.

Numerous studies, including some by the EPA, show the inadequacy of current coal ash practices to protect public health and the environment. The documentation shows coal ash poisoned aquifers and surface waters at 150 sites in 36 states, including in Kentucky,

Despite this, the EPA continues to fail to updates federal coal ash standards, even though the law requires them to at least conduct a review every three years.

The legal action would force the EPA to set deadlines for review and revision of relevant solid and hazardous waste regulations to address coal ash, as well as the much needed, and overdue, changes to the test that determines whether a waste is hazardous.

The action was filed by Earthjustice on behalf of Appalachian Voices (NC), Environmental Integrity Project, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, French Broad Riverkeeper, Moapa Tribe Band of Paiutes (NV), Montana Environmental Information Center, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Prairie Rivers Network (IL), Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (TN) and KFTC.

“Politics and pressure from corporate lobbyists is delaying much needed health protections from coal ash,” said Earthjustice attorney Lisa Evans. “The law states that the EPA should protect citizens who are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in their drinking water from coal ash. As we clean up the smokestacks of power plants, we can’t just shift that pollution to the waste and think the problem is solved. The EPA must set strong, federally enforceable safeguards against this toxic menace.”

Notice of Intent letter

Today, in celebration of the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., KFTC members from Perry and Letcher counties joined hundreds of folks from eastern Kentucky organizations, churches, schools, businesses and communities for the annual MLK Day Community Breakfast hosted by Hazard Community & Technical College.  This year's event, held at HCTC's main campus in Hazard, featured the theme 'Visions of Unity' and keynote speaker Renee Michelle Shaw of KET. 

Building on opening remarks, "Dr. King had more than a dream, he had a vision", Ms. Shaw drew parallels between the vision of King and the visions many communities in eastern Kentucky are working toward, including the eradication of poverty, educational attainment, and "transformative progress."  Shaw made specific note of the disproportion of "young black men in prison garb rather than graduation gowns." 

The event also featured a community service project with information tables from local organizations. The Perry County KFTC Chapter used this space to share upcoming legislative session events and talk with attendees about HB 70 , a Restoration of Voting Rights amendment, and our upcoming Voting Rights Lobby Day on March 8.

Russell Oliver said he was "glad to see KFTC front and center at a different kind of event."  We signed up two new Perry County members, sold two T-shirts, and collected several signatures on the Voting Rights petition, including new Cordia School boy's basketball coach and former UK basketball star, Rodick Rhodes.  Coach Rhodes, along with Perry Chapter member and Cordia director Alice Whitaker brought the Cordia boys basketball team out to the event.

During the ceremony HCTC Director of Cultural Diversity Elbert Hagans read aloud the names of Appalachian African-American teachers from several eastern Kentucky counties while local NAACP president, Ludrenia Hagans-Sheperd lit candles in their honor.  He later thanked the local organizations who participated in the community service project by reading each name aloud (including Perry County KFTC), while Letcher County Steering Committee Rep., Elizabeth Sanders volunteered with WMMT equipment to capture audio from the event. 

Shortly after, local KFTC member and HCTC professor, Jenny Williams presented this year's MLK March banner created by youth attendees of the ceremony.  After the breakfast and keynote event, this banner and youth from the event lead a musical and lively march into downtown Hazard to Consolidated Baptist Church for more speakers, a gospel choir performance and luncheon, all hosted by the church. 

by Rachel Harrod

Inspired by last February’s weekend occupation of the governor’s office by 14 Kentuckians determined to hold the Beshear administration accountable for its complicity with the coal industry, long-time KFTC member and Kentucky Heartwood founding member Chris Schimmoeller wanted to do something to keep the pressure on the governor.

She began talking to friends about a weekly protest outside the governor’s office. A number of Chris’s friends enthusiastically embraced the idea, and on Earth Day 2011 they kicked off the Sit-In for the Mountains.

Since then, protestors have visited the Capitol one day a week to sit in or just outside the governor’s office with signs urging Gov. Beshear to protect the mountains, streams and communities by ending mountaintop removal mining. More than a hundred people have participated, including coalfield residents, former miners, Kentuckians with strong ties to Appalachia, and others concerned about air and water quality.

While most have sat quietly with their signs, engaging passersby in conversation when possible, some have serenaded the governor’s staff with mournful coal songs or lain corpse-like beneath fake tombstones to symbolize the death and destruction caused by mountaintop removal mining. Other protestors have shared school projects about mercury pollution, made sculptures, conducted a survey, or dressed up like Santa to deliver lumps of coal to Gov. Beshear and legislators on the “naughty” list for their unquestioning support of destructive mining practices.

Jeri Howell of the Frankfort High School Earth Club, who carried her message to the governor through song, explained why she got involved with the sit-in: “My friend in Hindman can't drink the water. He says it upsets his stomach, gets him sick. My friend in Whitesburg can't seem to quit writing songs about the hardships of a coal miner and the devastating impacts it has on families … Call me crazy, blame me for wanting to ruin Kentucky's economy, bash me for being a ‘dirty tree hugger,’ but I won't stand for the governor and legislature of Kentucky supporting this Hell we are creating in Appalachia.”

Caroline Taylor-Webb, a state government retiree who now devotes most of her time to civic pursuits, fell in love with the mountains at age 11 while spending a summer with her father in the Red River Gorge. “From then on, I considered myself an environmentalist,” she said. In 1988 and ’89, she teamed up with friend Dr. Louise Chawla to conduct an oral history project on Kentucky conservationists.

The project took them through Appalachia, where they interviewed, among others, author Harry Caudill and Mary Rogers of Pine Mountain Settlement School. While working for the Department of Natural Resources, she got to visit some “reclaimed” strip mine sites, but they were “a joke,” she said. Strip mining was bad enough, but with the expansion of mountaintop removal, surface mining became even more destructive. Caroline knew she had to do something. She now coordinates scheduling all of the shifts for the sit-in and is excited about maintaining an increased presence at the Capitol through the legislative session.

Kentucky has something else to be proud of today:  Occupy Lexington, the longest running Occupy site in the nation (wow, right?!), is celebrating its 100th day today! And in true Occupy Lexington fashion, the celebration is all about inviting people into the space, and into the movement. 

Occupy Lexington is impressive not only for its longevity but also for how participants have been facilitating community learning and engagement. There's a study group working for a People's Budget for Lexington/Fayette County (meeting tonight, and a couple of folks will be talking about the campaign at the Jan 19 KFTC CKY meeting), and Occupy Lexington has launched a campaign called Invest in Kentucky, which seeks to move our state funds back to a local financial institution.

On Monday, folks from 24 grassroots organizations in Appalachia, including KFTC, met in Prestonsburg to provide some guidance to the Alliance for Appalachia on ways to advance a just and sustainable economic transition in Appalachia.

The goals of this Economic Summit were:
•    to learn about each other’s work and share strategies
•    to explore what is needed in the region to advance transition
•    to explore what role the Alliance for Appalachia could play in supporting economic transition work

After a day-long discussion, the group came up with recommendations related to continued research, raising grassroots funds, messaging and organizing.

The Alliance steering committee is considering the suggestions as it meets for its quarterly meeting, Tuesday through Thursday of this week. In the coming year, the Alliance plans advance its work promoting a transition to a just and sustainable economy for Appalachia, including looking for opportunities for collaboration with grassroots organizations throughout the region.

Report by Mary Love

KFTC has sent a letter with a brief statement of solidarity for an action planned by OccupyCincinnati and OccupySuperCommittee in support of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies from the federal budget. The action focuses on the so-called federal Super Committee that is tasked with eliminating $1.2 trillion from the federal deficit. Ohio U.S. Senator Rob Portman is a member.

The letter, signed by Chairperson Steve Boyce, stated in part:

The grassroots membership of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth stands in solidarity with our neighbors in Ohio and people everywhere who are using non-violent direct action to advance a vision for a more just and sustainable future. We applaud and support the growing movement to end federal subsidies for Old Power fossil fuels; stop the destruction of our land, air, water and health; and hold corporations and political leaders accountable.

We would like to share KFTC’s vision statement with you, as it expresses many of the values and goals we share with this growing movement:

We are working for a day when Kentuckians – and all people – enjoy a better quality of life. When the lives of people and communities matter before profits. When our communities have good jobs that support our families without doing damage to the water, air and land. When companies and the wealthy pay their share of taxes and can’t buy elections. When all people have health care, food, education, clean water and other basic needs. When children are listened to and valued. When discrimination is wiped out of our laws, habits and hearts. And when the voices of ordinary people are heard and respected in our democracy.

  

Last week, KFTC members and staff joined 5 other community and faith-based grassroots organizations from across the South for the 2011 Community Media Organizing Project annual training in Nashville, TN.  This year's training focused on youth engagement and leadership development.  Workshops ranged from language justice and creating multi-cultural spaces to online community mapping and video blogging.  Skills were built around identifying and supporting spokespeople, tapping into social media outlets, creating your own media outlets, developing relationships with media contacts, and countless others. Participants even got to preview an upcoming short film on youth leadership and one young woman's story, Maria Full of Hope.

Join us:

Monday, November 7th, 2011
10 am to 4 pm
Northside Library Branch
1733 Russell Cave Road
Lexington, KY

The Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance, of which KFTC is a founding member, will host its fall meeting on November 7th. The agenda will include:

-Preview of the 2012 legislative session: Perspectives from key KySEA members including a green energy business and an affordable housing provider, as well as opportunities to plug into KySEA's legislative work

-Overview of the Clean Energy Opportunity Act

-Two exciting presentations on reports related to clean energy by Metropolitan Housing Coalition and Kentucky Environmental Foundation.

Bring a brown bag lunch. We hope you will join us.

Contact nancy@kftc.org to RSVP or for more information.

The interim joint committee on local government will host a "discussion on solar energy" tomorrow, October 26th, in Frankfort at 10 am in the Capitol Annex room 171.

Join us to support Matt Partymiller and Denis Oudard of Solar Energy Solutions (which did the solar install left) and the Kentucky Solar Energy Society, both member groups of the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance, of which KFTC is a member group.

The committee is co-chaired by Senator Damon Thayer and Representative Steve Riggs. Both are interested to learn about the opportunity Kentucky has to advance solar energy and how local governments can take action.

KFTC members glammed it up with ties and heels to show support for the ACLU of Kentucky Saturday night at their 18th annual Bill of Rights Dinner.  The event featured keynote speaker Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now,” and served as the opening for Robert Shetterley’s exhibit of paintings, “Americans Who Tell the Truth.”  It was hosted at the new KY Center for African American Heritage in Louisville’s west end. 

ACLU-KY also took time in the program to give updates on their legal work to restore voting rights, and protect religious and democratic freedom in Kentucky; as well as to honor their longtime dedicated member Carl Wedekind, who passed away recently.  Robert Shetterley spoke briefly of the need to continue the work of one his subjects, 19th century abolitionist and feminist Sojourner Truth.  She said of the Constitution:  “It looks mighty big, and I feels for my rights, but der aint any dare. Den I says, God, what ails dis Constitution? He says to me, ‘Sojourner, dere is a little weasel in it." 

Student volunteers from Central and St. Francis high schools in Louisville were on hand to help guide viewers of Shetterley’s exhibit.  The exhibit also contains portraits of KFTC members Teri Blanton and Wendell Berry.  Teri came in town to attend the event and to encourage Amy Goodman to continue to share what is going on in Eastern Kentucky with her audiences. 

Amy Goodman shared her enthusiasm for the Occupy Wall Street movement, where she recently held a press conference to announce the settlement of a 2008 lawsuit against police and Secret Service in Minneapolis for their treatment of her and two of her reporters during their arrests at the 2008 Republican National Convention.  She recalled speaking to a major network news reporter who wondered why they were not arrested for doing their jobs.  Amy Goodman responded that it was because the major networks were safe in their press boxes instead of reporting on the street.  She said journalists should take the motto of the Holocaust era pamphleteers, the White Rose Society, “We will not be silenced,” as their Hippocratic oath.

Louisvillians Beth Bissmeyer, Jes Deis, George Eklund, Shekinah Lavalle, and Linda Stettenbenz were among the KFTC members who attended; but many more KFTC members and supporters were spotted at tables of allies such as Women in Transition and the Fairness Campaign.

                                                       -KFTC Member Linda Stettenbenz