As part of our work around clean energy and transition, KFTC participates in a Clean Energy Collaborative that held its first meeting of the new year on January 31 in Richmond.

The collaborative was formed in 2010 when KFTC and allies succeeded in convincing East Kentucky Power Cooperative to abandon plans for a new coal-burning power plant in Central Kentucky. In addition to KFTC and EKPC, the collaborative includes other public interest groups, the Attorney General’s office, and all 16 of EKPC’s distribution co-ops. The group has a two-year charge to study renewable energy and energy efficiency options and present proposals to EKPC.

In addition to being an important piece of the work to move Kentucky beyond coal and toward cleaner energy and new jobs, the collaborative plays a role in creating greater transparency and member involvement in the rural electric co-ops.

KFTC member Tona Barkley helped preside over the meeting as Vice Chair of the Collaborative, along with David Crews of EKPC (pictured left), the Collaborative's new Chair, who introduced himself to the group at the meeting. KFTC member Steve Wilkins participated as a co-chair of the Demand-Side Management Working Group. During the public comment period, EKPC Board Chair Paul Hawkins invited Barkley to present the collaborative’s annual report at the next EKPC board meeting.

Much of the discussion at the January 31 meeting focused on recommendations from the Demand-Side Management Working Group. Six of seven recommendations, which focus on increasing DSM programs in the co-ops, passed with consensus. The seventh recommendation will be brought back to the full collaborative for further discussion in April.

Mark your calendars: The next meeting of the Collaborative will be Tuesday, April 17 in the afternoon at the Perkins Building on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. Stay tuned to this blog for more info as the date approaches. KFTC members are encouraged to attend and speak up during the public comment period.

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Here are the six recommendations that will be presented to EKPC for consideration by its management, board and member co-ops:

Measurement and Verification Recommendations

• Partner with distribution member cooperatives and allocate resources for measurement and verification (M&V) of the cooperatives' existing and future DSM efforts. This includes developing a standardized, on-going process to collect data, investigate, and report on dynamic energy and demand impacts.
• Offer generally accepted DSM quantitative and qualitative analytic services to member systems on an individual, group, and/or system average basis using each member cooperative’s unique market and cost structures.
  

Marketing and Implementation Recommendations

• Aggressively help member systems market those DSM programs with the optimal benefit-cost profiles.
• Develop strong educational, marketing and training programs for member systems to promote DSM efforts considering all potential markets and channels for messaging.
• Allocate resources toward becoming and serving as a consultant and expert for member systems in their DSM efforts. Identify best practices, provide research support, and explore partnerships to this end.

Overcoming Barriers/Challenges Recommendations

• Continually evaluate new and on-going DSM programs, refining efforts to ensure optimal penetration of target markets.

Fifteen KFTC members from across Kentucky, from Bowling Green to Whitesburg and Louisa to Louisville, gathered in Lexington to begin providing leadership for KFTC’s New Energy and Transition work, which includes our rural electric co-op reform, sustainable energy policy and organizing and Appalachian Transition campaigns.

KFTC’s Steering Committee decided earlier this year to more closely align these three projects, which have similar goals of promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, passing clean energy legislation, transitioning away from our dependence on coal, creating new jobs, and saving money for low-income families.

Most of the folks in the room had been involved with one of the three campaigns. Participants got an overview of all three and will have the chance to choose a workteam that focuses on one of the three.

“It was exciting to see these different areas of KFTC work for a better, more sustainable future brought together so that we could learn from each other and understand how so much of our efforts are interrelated,” said Mimi Pickering, a long-time KFTC member from Whitesburg. “I think this is going to be a great way to organize and build momentum for a transition away from coal mining and burning to renewable energy and a just and sustainable economy in eastern Kentucky.”

Members discussed trends, opportunities and challenges to achieving a clean energy vision. Among the trends was the growing acceptance of energy efficiency, even among utilities and politicians who support the coal industry. Renewable energy, on the other hand, won’t gain a foothold unless it’s connected with economic development, members said.

Among the opportunities discussed was the Clean Energy Opportunity Act, which does connect renewable energy with economic development by proposing a Renewable and Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) and a feed-in tariff that would create clean energy jobs and industries by requiring the state to meet benchmarks by a certain time. (Introduced in the Kentucky legislature in 2010 and 2011 by the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance, of which KFTC is a founding member, the bill has not passed but did get a favorable hearing in committee this year and will be re-introduced in 2012 with the hope of getting a vote).

A lack of public understanding of energy issues was listed as a challenge, as were Kentucky’s legislature and congressional delegation, which are reluctant to support anything they perceive might threaten the coal industry. Kentucky is behind surrounding states in passing legislation that encourages clean energy development and the jobs it would bring.

Members worked hard but also had fun getting to know each other and playing a game that focused on the “alphabet soup” of acronyms in the world of energy – such as "EE" for "energy efficiency" and "RE" for "renewable energy."

Earlier this month, 19 KFTC members and friends came together to celebrate KFTC's 30th year of action for justice with a film showing, brainstorming session and birthday cake.

Members of all ages had a part of the fun and fellowship. The evening started with a viewing of KFTC's new film "I Was There: The First 30 Years of KFTC." Member J.P. Brantley said the movie was "like a revival meeting." Folks enjoyed pointing out each other in footage from I Love Mountains days and reflecting on the work and the stories of leaders from throughout the decades.

After the viewing, Lee Ann Paynter updated the group on KFTC's current statewide and local campaigns using a slideshow she had created, and opened up the discussion for what local issues members in the Boyle County area could begin to undertake. The brainstorming session was energetic and inspiring. Members shared stories of their work and history with KFTC, and developed ideas about future local work--from doing more outreach around economic justice and voting rights issues, to getting informed and taking action on nearby coal ash storage facilities, the becoming more involved in the local Human Rights Commission and a possible Fairness campaign.

The group topped off the evening with a locally baked birthday cake, and set plans for their next meeting. Several new members joined and the event raised more than $400 in donations and sales to support KFTC's work.

All KFTC members and any others interested are welcomed and encouraged to attend the next Boyle County KFTC meeting:

Monday, December 5, 2011, at 6:00 pm
Boyle County Public Library Community Room
307 West Broadway, Danville, KY

For more information about getting involved in Boyle or surrounding counties, contact KFTC member and New Power Leader Lee Ann Paynter at aperturienne [at] gmail [dot] com or KFTC Organizer Sara Pennington at sara@kftc.org or (606) 276-9933.

This week faculty from Union College, who attended our Annual Meeting back in August, hosted a screening of "I Was There: The first 30 years of KFTC" in the Union Student Center.  At least 30 people turned out, including students, faculty, and several from the off-campus community.  Local Know County members were especially excited to have a local KFTC event to attend and connect with others interested in our work.  Five folks became new members and we raised almost $40!  The group hopes to keep meeting after the new year/ semester and perhaps mobilize a Knox County/ Union College contingent to Frankfort on February 14th for I LOVE MOUNTAINS DAY 2012!  Thanks to all who came out and made the night such a great time! 

As part of our Renew East Kentucky work, KFTC participated in a Clean Energy Collaborative with the East Kentucky Power Cooperative, 16 local electric cooperatives, and other parties. The Collaborative will hold it's third meeting tomorrow, and KFTC members are welcome to attend. Each meeting concludes with a time for the Collaborative to accept public comments.

About tomorrow's meeting:

The East Kentucky Power Cooperative Demand Side Management and Renewable Energy Collaborative will meet Tuesday, November 15, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Marriott Griffin Gate Hotel on Newtown Pike in Lexington. The meeting is open to the public.

This will be the group’s third meeting.  During this meeting, the Collaborative will discuss a set of preliminary recommendations presented by the Demand Side Management (DSM) Subgroup addressing such issues as marketing DSM; measuring and verifying energy savings; and overcoming barriers to DSM programming.

Also, the Collaborative members will hear a report from the Renewable Energy Subgroup on progress since the last meeting.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to make comments at the end of the meeting.

The Collaborative is a joint project of East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), its 16 member cooperatives, the Sierra Club, the Kentucky Environmental Foundation (KEF) and Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC).

The group is meeting quarterly through the spring of 2013 to evaluate and recommend actions for EKPC to expand deployment of renewable energy and demand side management, and to promote collaboration among the Collaborative members in the implementation of those ideas. Demand side management refers to programs designed to encourage consumers to improve energy efficiency and modify their pattern of electricity usage.

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.

Late last night, to accommodate schedules, faculty, staff, and student at Union College in Knox County gathered to discuss the possibilities of building a KFTC chapter on their campus.  Time was spent getting to know each other as well as the local and state-wide work of KFTC.  Not all the folks there were members, but everyone took membership forms and are excited to join the KFTC family and be a part of our next 30 years!  

Nine people talked through KFTC's current state-wide campaigns, their relevancy at Union, and how Union can add to this growing new power in Kentucky.  They all seemed to be hooked after one faculty KFTC member read the vision statement aloud.  By the end of the meeting, folks had planned to distribute nearly 50 voter guides and scheduled their next meet up as a film screening of the newly released I Was There: The first 30 years of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth for Monday, November 15th. 

Stay tuned!  There is certainly more to come from this exciting new energy in southeast Kentucky! 

Students at the University of Kentucky had their first meeting of the semester with over 30 people in attendance. The meeting ran an hour with the students talking about ways to learn more about KFTC's issue campaigns and how to involve other university students in the work. They planned two days to register voters on campus and two days to write letters to legislators. They also talked about making an effort this semester to reach out to other student groups on campus and form alliances when possible.

The UK KFTC students meet every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in room 111 of the student center. Everyone is welcome. For more information about these meetings you can contact either Jared Flanery at jared.flanery2@gmail.com or Callie Thomas at callie.thomas@uky.edu

While the Northern Kentucky chapter has taken on hillside over development as a local issue in Northern Kentucky, due to the concerns in increased erosion and excess run-off, especially in older and low income neighborhoods, the chapter has not yet taken a position on the ballot initiative this Fall that could do away with the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission. However, many members have expressed concerns over the intentions of some of the organizations targeting the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission. 

Sean McDonald, a citizen who resides in Covington, wrote in yesterdays Cincinnati Enquirer,

"The home builders in Northern Kentucky see an opportunity to benefit their businesses at the expense of ordinary citizens (“Supporters rally behind NKAPC“). They want a weakened planning commission in Kenton County – or no planning commission at all – so they can build what they please, where they please, with whatever materials they choose, no matter how adversely these actions affect the environment or the needs of the general population.

Hard work, friendship and giving voice to ordinary people were common themes as folks reminisced about the first 30 years of KFTC and dreamed about the next 30 at KFTC’s birthday party August 27 at Cathedral Domain in Lee County.

Nearly 300 folks enjoyed a family-reunion-style picnic with music, story circles, swimming, games, a 30^th anniversary film, and a square dance. Memories flowed as long-time friends described their connection to KFTC and the work they’ve done together to build a better Kentucky.

Folks remembered the successful 1988 Broad Form Deed campaign, which resulted in a constitutional amendment to protect landowners from strip mining. Through a statewide campaign, KFTC members mobilized voters across Kentucky, and the referendum passed in every county and garnered 82% of the vote.

“I remember that evening of the vote, a bunch of us were in Hindman watching the returns … as the evening went on, it just swept every county,” said Letcher County member Sharman Chapman-Crane. “It was a David and Goliath story.”

Ray Tucker, KFTC chairperson from 1992 to 1994, remembered when KFTC helped mobilize his community to protest a proposed landfill in Pulaski County. “They knew how to get us angry, unorganized citizens focused.”

While reminiscing about their own involvement in KFTC, members also reflected on what KFTC has meant to Kentucky these past 30 years. 

“We have a responsibility to serve our state in any capacity we can, and that’s what KFTC has taught. … If you work together to stop exploitation, then you’ve got an organization that has power. That’s really what KFTC is about – empowering individuals,” Tucker said.

Patty Wallace, chairperson from 1988 to ’90 put it more simply: “Stand up and tell ’em the truth.”

Long-time members and newer members also talked about their hopes for the future.

John Rosenberg, who is credited with giving KFTC its first name – Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition, said KFTC still has much work to do: “We still aren’t where we’d like to be if we want to stop mountaintop removal.”

And Harrod expressed hope that new power is on the horizon: “We have to continue to try to move Kentucky into a whole new way of empowering our light switches and our people.”

Slideshow from the day