This year at I Love Mountains day we are using homemade pinwheels to share our message of calling for an end to mountaintop removal and transitioning to a clean energy economy.  We are asking everyone coming to I Love Mountains day to bring one pinwheel. 

Then we will deliver each of our pinwheels to Governor Beshear at I Love Mountains.  With 1,2000 of us estimated to attend, each pinwheel will represent 50 people living with cancer that has been linked to the pollution from mountaintop removal mining.   Click here to learn about the study that came out in July that found that 60,000 people living in Central Appalachia have cancer because of mountaintop removal.  So, 1,200 pinwheels x 50 = 60,000. 

But the pinwheels are also a beautiful way to visually demonstrate the hope that we all have for transitioning to a new, clean energy economy that can bring good jobs and cleaner air and water to our state!  What better way to share our message and help the Governor understand what is at stake! 

Will you join us by making and bringing a homemade pinwheel with you at I Love Mountains day?  We hope you will!  Here is a link to some super simple instructions!  And if you do, leave us a comment here to let us know how it goes!  But also don't worry if you can't make a pinwheel, we will have a few extras to share that day!

Members and allies at a voting rights rally in Lexington this past December

Our restoration of voting rights amendment is on the move. Just last week House Bill 70 was voted out of committee with bipartisan support by a wide margin of 7-1. We expect the bill to come up for a full vote before the Kentucky House of Representatives any day now. In order to ensure we get the supermajority needed to pass this bill, we need your help.

Kentucky is one of only four states that permanently takes away voting rights from all former felons, even after they've served their debt to society. This directly impacts over 186,000 Kentuckians, including 1 in 4 voting age African-Americans. KFTC believes in restoring the right to vote to these citizens because is is the fair, democratic, and reasonable thing to do.

Take Action!

Do you have three minutes to make a call to help pass HB70?

Call the Legislative Message Line (1-800-372-7181) as soon as you can, and ask to leave a message for some legislators. The line is open 7am to 11pm on weekdays and until 6pm on Fridays. The operator will ask for your name and address.

Ask to leave the message for "House Leadership, Senate Leadership, Senate State and Local Government Committee,” and your own Representative and Senator (if you don’t know who that is, the operator can tell you).

Message: "Please vote yes on House Bill 70."

Thank you for taking action!

Photo from yesterday's rally in Lexington

Yesterday afternoon in Lexington 125 citizens came together for an impromptu rally to take a stand against the unjust and undemocratic redistricting plans passed by the state House and Senate and signed by Governor Beshear. These plans are vindictive against specific lawmakers and create very oddly shaped districts that unnecessarily divide coherent communities and constituencies.

For example, Lexington's Sen. Kathy Stein (a sponsor of KFTC’s Stream Saver Bill in the Senate), who has represented Lexington since 1997, will have the district she now represents moved to northern Kentucky. A western Kentucky district now represented by Sen. Dorsey Ridley – 200 miles away – will be moved to Lexington.

So we are taking this message to the steps of the state capitol in Frankfort tomorrow at 2 p.m. to hold our legislators accountable for this subversion of our democracy.

Earlier in the day at 8:30 a.m. our bill to restore voting rights to former felons (HB 70) will be voted on in committee in Capitol Annex room 171. We need as many people there as possible to show support for this legislation and to ensure that our legislators do the right thing by passing this bill. In the time between the committee hearing and the rally, we will be talking to our legislators about voting rights, redistricting and other KFTC issues.

Action

Join us at 8:30 a.m. in Capitol Annex room 171 for the committee hearing on HB 70. If you can’t make it that early, please come to the 2 p.m. rally on the front steps of the Capitol.

Take action at home

If you can’t make it out to Frankfort tomorrow, you can still make your voice heard by calling the Legislative Message Line (1-800-372-7181) today and leaving a message for members of the House Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee, asking for them to vote Yes on House Bill 70. The message line is open until 11 p.m., but try to leave a message as soon as possible today to ensure that committee members get the message in time.

Rowan County members raising money for the Kentucky budget.

Join us on January 18 to tell the legislators: "Kentuckians deserve good schools, affordable college degrees, and healthy communities. The revenue is up to you!"

Kentuckians deserve a good quality of life, and right now, today, we have common sense solutions that would make it possible to invest in smaller class sizes, college affordability, public health and safety, and better protections for our water and air. But a broken tax and revenue system is standing in our way.

Governor Beshear is delivering his Budget Address on January 17, and has warned Kentuckians that his budget will call for about $300 million in cuts, on top of the $1.3 billion in state budget cuts over the last four years.

Lobby!

Come to the Capitol on January 18 to tell the legislators that Kentuckians deserve the good revenue solutions in the Kentucky Forward Revenue Plan, sponsored by Rep. Wayne. HB 127 would raise revenue and make our structure fairer by lowering taxes for low- and moderate-income families. We need the political will and leadership to stand with Kentuckians by choosing the solutions instead of the budget cuts.

We'll get things started in Capitol Annex Room 113 at 8:30 with a solid orientation and to break into lobby groups, but come when you can and we'll make sure you can jump in! Lobbying will continue until the legislators go into session at 2 p.m. If you have any questions, call or email Jessica at 859-276-0563 or jessicabreen@kftc.org

Can't make it out to Frankfort?

If you can't join us in Frankfort on the 18th, you can still make a difference by calling the legislative message line (800-372-7181) and leave a message for your State Representative and the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee asking them to not cut important state services and to support House Bill 127.

Talking about taxes

Are you planning on talking with your legislator about tax reform, but not sure where to start? Here's one way to think about the story that you want to tell:

I live in _________ County and I’m _______. [Are you a parent? A student? A teacher? Someone who’s concerned about our water quality? Someone trying to afford rising energy costs? Someone looking for a job?]

I want to see __________. [Name the good things you want to see in your life and your community…Things that we all want, right?]

But right now_______. [What’s standing in the way? What do you see instead?]

That’s why, this session, I want you to pass/support/co-sponsor ___________ .

This bill would ______________ [How does this bill work toward your vision?]

Will you support/co-sponsor this bill?

Example:

I live in Fayette County, and I’m a parent. I want every Kentucky child to have the opportunity for a world-class education, right here in Kentucky. But his school no longer has a librarian—she was laid off because of budget cuts—and there are 30 kids in the kindergarten classes. That’s why, this session, I want you to co-sponsor HB 127, the Kentucky Forward Revenue Plan sponsored by Rep. Wayne. This bill would let us raise the revenue we need to invest in education, and in making our communities healthy and vibrant. Will you co-sponsor HB 127?

KFTC members and staff waiting for a meeting with legislators

On Wednesday around twenty KFTC members came together in Frankfort to for our first lobby day and training of the 2012 legislative session. As is usually the case when we lobby, yesterday's group of members came from many different parts of the state and represented a range of issues, but they were all there to work for the common purpose of bringing the voices of everyday Kentuckians to the capitol.

We have four pieces of priority legislation that we will be advocating for this year: the Clean Energy Opportunity Act, a bill that will expand affordable, clean energy access for Kentuckians while creating homegrown clean energy jobs; the Restoration of Voting Rights Amendment, which will return the right to vote to over 123,000 former felons who have served their debt to society; the Kentucky Forward bill, which seeks to adequately fund essential state services while making our tax system more fair for low and middle income Kentuckians; and the Stream Saver Bill, which seeks to protect our headwater steams from the ravages of mountaintop removal and other forms of surface mining. Beyond our own priority bills, there will be many other big pieces of legislation (the budget and redistricting to name two) that will need input from people like you.

In order to make our voices heard in Frankfort we need a visible and regular grassroots presence at the state capitol. We ask all members who are able to consider spending one or more days lobbying with other KFTC members in Frankfort. It’s a great experience. Besides the big rallies and lobby days (see calendar below) we’ll have a KFTC presence at the General Assembly most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Our lobby day usually starts by 9 a.m. and ends shortly after lawmakers go into session at 2 p.m.

If you are interested in lobbying with KFTC, check with your chapter organizer for days when a group will be going from your community. If coming from other areas or on your own, please let Lisa Abbott know you are coming so we can expect you — lisa@kftc.org or 859-200-5159. Bring others with you.

If you can’t make it to Frankfort, there is lots you can do at home to support the legislative efforts. You’ll get action alerts from KFTC when phone calls and emails to legislators are needed. There’ll be at-home meetings with legislators and other ways to be involved. Use the Legislative Message Line — 800-372-7181 — any time you want to leave a message for your representative or senator. The toll-free service is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, and until 6 p.m. on Fridays while the legislature is in session.

If you want to email a legislator, go to this page to find the legislator you want to contact.

Important dates for the 2012 General Assembly.

January 9 - Citizen lobbyist training in Lexington

January 16 - Legislative holiday: Martin Luther King Day

January 18 — Economic Justice Lobby Day

January 19 - Clean Energy Opportunity Act Webinar (at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.)

January 31 — Candidate filing deadline for 2012 legislative and other races

February 14 — I Love Mountains Day (click to register)

February 20 — Legislative holiday: Presidents Day

February 28 - Clean Energy Lobby Day, sponsored by KFTC and allies

March 8 (Tentative) — Voting Rights Lobby Day, sponsored by KFTC and allies

March 23 — Last regular legislative day before two-week recess

April 9 — Legislators consider any vetoes, address unfinished business and adjourn

Energy Cabinet Secretary Len Peters may soon name a replacement for Carl Campbell, the Natural Resources commissioner he fired on Tuesday. Who gets that job will tell us a lot about what to expect from Steve Beshear in his second term.

If Gov. Beshear wants to leave a legacy, he could start with Clean Water. In counties where coal is produced, that means enforcing the law – including the way coal mining is permitted and disturbed land is reclaimed. The Natural Resources commissioner oversees both these programs, as well as forestry, conservation, mine safety, oil and gas drilling and abandoned mine lands.

The Clean Water Act and the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act recognize – and so should Beshear, Peters and whoever they name – the important role that citizens play in monitoring environmental quality in their communities, and reporting violations.  It hits pretty close to home for many KFTC members, when their foundations crack, communities flood and wells fill with methane gas as a result of out-of-control coal companies.

It should go without saying that the new commissioner should be someone committed to enforce the law, which means improving the cabinet’s performance of recent years. It should be a person genuinely interested in regular dialogue with residents affected by mining practices. It should be someone who demands and inspires their inspectors to do a good job, and then has their backs when they take the proper enforcement actions.

The coal industry is lobbying for Allen Luttrell, the current mine permits director. That support alone should tell KFTC members all we need to know about his qualifications.

The new commissioner will not have an easy job. There resides in the cabinet a culture of non-enforcement. It will take a determined individual, allowed to do their job, if this is to change in Gov. Beshear’s second term.

Take Action

Please contact Gov. Steve Beshear’s office to let him know you want someone committed to and allowed to do their job as the next natural resources commssioner.

Message:  Gov. Beshear, Kentuckians are sick and dying because our environmental and public health laws are poorly enforced. Please see to it that the new natural resources commissioner is committed to working with all Kentuckians to protect our health and our land, air and water by enforcing the law.

There are several ways to convey this message to Gov. Beshear:

1. Call his office and leave a message – 502-564-2611
2. Fax him a letter – 502-564-2517
3. Use his online comment form

Thank you for taking action!

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.

Bev May and KY author Silas House at the Lands Unsuitable for Mining hearing for Wilson Creek

 Five years ago this month my neighbors on Wilson Creek and I learned that a coal company was planning to start mountaintop removal strip mining on both sides of Wilson Creek. On top of this, the coal company planned to haul the coal out the curvy one-lane road on Wilson Creek, which would have been dangerous for the people on Wilson Creek, the coal truck drivers and the school bus that travels the road every day.

We knew that would mean years of blasting damaging our homes, dust and mud covering our roads and yards, and even worse flooding. We truly believe this would have meant the end of our community.

With help from KFTC we organized our community and used a Lands Unsuitable for Mining Petition as a way of asking the state regulatory agencies to protect our community from the worst abuses of strip mining.

Though the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet did not fully declare the Wilson Creek watershed unsuitable to be mined, they did impose some protections for our community. The Cabinet ruled that mountaintop removal mining methods could not be used, if the land was mined the coal company had to replant native hardwood trees, the coal company could not use the Wilson Creek road to haul coal, and additional ponds needed to be constructed to prevent slides and washouts.

We really felt like the state was fair handed throughout this process. They took our petition seriously. They provided an opportunity for all sides to be heard and then issued a reasonable compromise. Yet now, for a third time, the coal companies (Laurel Mountain Resources, which is owned by James River Coal) have appealed this decision. This tells me that the coal companies have no intention of mining in a way that is respectful of the people who live on Wilson Creek.

What is at stake here is the right of communities to determine their own future and the state’s ability to support communities that are trying to protect themselves.

I have to work that day, but my nephew, Alex, is planning to attend the hearing and it would be wonderful if a group of KFTC members wearing green or red KFTC T-shirts could be there to support him and everything we all worked so hard to achieve. We want to show the judges that the citizens of Kentucky are paying attention to this case.

This will be a test to see if the citizens of Kentucky can be heard and treated justly.

Thanks,
Bev May

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.

On Friday, about 50 KFTC members rallied at Rep. Hal Rogers office, sending a message that the region deserves good jobs, clean water and air, and safe and healthy families. 

We know that a healthy environment is an important piece of building a good future for ourselves, especially in the 5th district, as we learn more about the health impacts of mountaintop removal mining and poisoned water. 

And yet, Hal Rogers is standing in the way. He's using his role as the chair of the House Appropriations Committee to undermine the important role of the Environmental Protection Agency by slashing funding and attaching 'riders' to budget bills that prohibit the EPA from enforcing clean water and clean air programs, especially those that control the most harmful impacts of coal mining, burning and coal ash disposal.

TAKE ACTION

Can you take a second to tell Rep. Rogers that we deserve stronger safeguards to ensure clean water and air?  It's simple.  On his website is this survey:

Go, weigh in, and share this post on Facebook (click the blue button down below) to get your friends to back us up!