Perry County | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Chapter: Perry County

Do you want the absolute best for your family and our Perry County community? So do we.

If you believe, as we do, that working together is the best way to create a better Perry County, then we invite you to be part of our local KFTC chapter.

We are a diverse group of Perry Countians – teachers, retired coal miners, students, unemployed, moms, grandparents and many more. We work together – as we have for 30 years – to protect our water and land, bring new energy and new jobs to our area, share our vision with elected officials and make sure Perry County is a safe place to call home for everyone.

We support each other, have fun and get things done. Come join us at our next potluck chapter meeting!

Recent Activities

Groups challenge EPA decision allowing Kentucky officials to gut clean water protection

KFTC staff on December 13, 2013 in Coal and Water, Enforcement, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Big Sandy, , Harlan County, , Perry County, Water Quality

Spinal deformities in fish resulting from selenium exposure. Photo: Wake Forest University.

On Friday, community and environmental groups took legal action against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a recent decision allowing Kentucky to weaken its water quality standards for selenium, a pollutant common to mountaintop removal coal mines.

"KFTC and our allies have worked for years to make EPA fully aware of the systemic failures of Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet to protect our commonwealth’s people, waters and environment,” said Doug Doerrfeld, a member of KFTC’s litigation team. “In light of this history it is disgraceful that EPA would approve a weakened selenium standard that will not only leave aquatic life at risk but will make citizen enforcement all but impossible."

KFTC members speak up for just transition at SOAR Summit

KFTC Staff on December 10, 2013 in New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County

The conversation about economic transition in eastern Kentucky and Appalachia got a big boost on Monday as more than 1,500 people gathered in Pikeville for the SOAR Summit. Dozens of KFTC members participated, sounding the drumbeat for a just transition in the mountains and distributing ideas and literature with specific suggestions on the principles, process and policies that should guide that transition.

SOAR stands for Shaping Our Appalachian Region, a regional planning process announced in October by Governor Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers. The summit on December 9 in Pikeville was the first step in that process.

But KFTC members have been talking about a just transition for years.

Eastern Kentucky women lead reproductive health project

Mimi Pickering on December 6, 2013 in Economic Justice, Perry County

In the summer of 2009 a group of young women in Letcher County sat down with Gabriela Alcalde, then director of the Kentucky Health Justice Network, to talk about reproductive health experiences they had growing up and living in east Kentucky. Conversation ranged from the limited sex education offered in school to lack of information and access to reproductive health options to concerns about confidentiality and privacy when visiting local health care providers.  

From that discussion came the East Kentucky Reproductive Health Project, originally a collaboration between Appalshop’s Community Media Initiative and Appalachian Media Institute and the Kentucky Health Justice Network. EKRHP uses peer-produced media and community outreach to give voice and visibility to the reproductive health experiences, concerns and needs of women, especially young women, in Appalachian Kentucky. Short videos on a wide range of reproductive health topics created by AMI Correspondents (young woman trained through EKRHP) are posted on www.ekrhp.org along with discussion guides, detailed information on our bodies, and an extensive listing of resources regionally and nationally. EKRHP also has an active Facebook page. Like us!

KFTC offers principles and policies for shaping eastern Kentucky’s future

KFTC on December 3, 2013 in New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, Big Sandy, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County

Hopeful about the future, some eastern Kentucky residents have offered suggestions for principles, process and policies to guide future development in the region.

Offered in an open letter to Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep Hal Rogers, the KFTC members acknowledged, “It won’t be easy, but we believe we can build a bright future here in the mountains.

Public officials welcome to the conversation about a just transition in Appalachia

KFTC on October 29, 2013 in New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, Big Sandy, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County

KFTC members welcomed Monday’s announcement by Governor Steve Beshear, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and others about a public process to gather and share ideas about ways to build a healthy, diverse economy in eastern Kentucky.

“I’m really excited,” said Letcher County KFTC member Elizabeth Sanders. “These elected leaders now appear to be whole-heartedly joining the conversation that is already alive in this region. That’s a welcome step that we haven’t seen in recent years. I’m glad they are calling for genuine involvement and collaboration with people living in southeastern Kentucky, and anyone with an interest in moving this part of the state forward.”
 


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Chapter Feature:

Russell Oliver"KFTC empowers residents to bring about positive changes in their communities. It gives members confidence that they can make a difference. You are not one person, but part of a statewide organization of thousands supporting you and your cause."

-Russell Oliver, Perry County Chapter member

Regular Meetings:

Hazard, KY 41701
Monthly chapter meeting

Join us on the 3rd Monday of every other month at 6 p.m. for the Perry County chapter meeting. We rotate meeting locations so please check the KFTC calendar for most up to date meeting information.

Chapter meetings are a great time to plan local work, discuss local and statewide work, meet new people, and much more. Everyone is welcome and invited to attend! Hope to see you there!

Chapter Organizer:

Jacob Mack-Boll
Hazard, KY 41701
606-263-4982

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Upcoming Events:

June 24

Perry annual chapter meeting

420 Main Street
Hazard, KY 41701

Join us for our annual Chapter Meeting. This is the time of year where we reflect on our work over the previous year, celebrate good work, and make plans for the coming year.