More than 125 citizen lobbyists had a visible and effective presence in the General Assembly on Valentine’s Day.

        They had come to the capitol to be part of KFTC’s “I Love Mountains” Lobby Day. They left knowing they had made an impact and feeling a part of something big.

        “It’s exciting to be part of this well-organized experience. I’m excited and energized about the possibilities,” said David Anderson of Lexington. “I’m realistic enough to know that these bills have a long way to go, but we’ll never get anywhere without our citizen lobbying efforts.”

        “It was fun that we were plugging up the hallways,” said Lexington member Beth Rosdatter. “I’ve been here before and it was nice because we would run into KFTC members. But this time we weren’t just running into each other, we were clogging up the hallways!”

        After an orientation KFTC members went off in teams of three to five people to find legislators and talk to them about House Bill 83, the bill to protect streams from the indiscriminate dumping of mining wastes.

        “This land does not belong to us and we’re here for just a short time,” was Lawrence County member Joyce Frasher’s message to lawmakers. “We can’t just destroy our mountains and streams. We are stewards of the earth. There is nothing more important.”

        “In my lobbying team we had someone from Campbell, Lawrence, Magoffin, Jefferson and Madison counties,” said Sister Susan Baumann, the Magoffin County member. “This showed that there is support for this issue all over the state.”

        At least 60 legislators were seen during the lobby day. Each received a card that read: “I love mountains, you should, too! Please support House Bill 83, legislation to protect Kentucky’s land, water and people from bomb and bury mining.”

        More than a dozen members of the group were Kentucky authors who have participated in a KFTC mountaintop removal tour. They gave legislators a copy of the book Missing Mountains about mountaintop removal that several of them contributed to.

        Author Lynn Pruett acknowledged that there is a disconnect for legislators from different parts of the state who have never seen mining. “The impact of seeing mountaintop removal is so important. The book is a great tool.”

        In the busy hallway was the sculpture The Agony of Gaia by Jeff Chapman-Crane, a dramatic depiction of mountaintop removal mining. Many lawmakers as well as other lobbyists, school groups and state workers viewed the work and learned more about mining.

        The group included at least 60 people lobbying for the first time.

        “I expected to see 20 other KFTC members in Frankfort,” said Sean Naylor of Richmond. “But when I walked into a packed room, it was great! I didn’t know anyone on my team, but it was a great first-time lobbying experience.”

        Though the conversations with lawmakers focused on legislation to protect streams and coalfields communities from coal company abuses and inadequate laws, members also lobbied on other KFTC backed legislation.

        In the afternoon the excitement carried over to Poor Richard’s Books in downtown Frankfort where the authors read from Missing Mountains and shared reflections with the crowd, which was far larger than anyone had anticipated. Participating authors included Wendell Berry, George Brosi, Charlie Hughes, Kristin Johannsen, George Ella Lyon, Bobbie Ann Mason, Ed McClanahan, Susan Starr Richards, Anne Shelby, Bob Sloan, Richard Taylor, Mary Ann Taylor-Hall and Gray Zeitz.

        “The day made a tremendous impression all around,” said KFTC Chairperson Janet Tucker.

        The citizen lobby effort resulted in three new cosponsors of House Bill 83 with several others interested, a pledge from a legislator to go on a flyover, a pledge from another to try to get his colleagues to come on a mountaintop removal tour, and dozens of legislators more knowledgeable about the loss of valuable streams from mining

        “I never believed that an individual’s voice carried much weight with a legislator. But … I’ve changed [after] hearing a legislator say that if two or three constituents will contact me then I’ll know it’s important and consider changing my mind,” said Madison County member Judy Rector.

        “I expected more direct opposition. I talked to several people who were very supportive,” reflected Nathan Hall of Letcher County. “To me, this was a learning experience. I’m learning what it would take to get a controversial bill like this passed.”

        “This has been disheartening and encouraging,” added new member Jamie Johnson of Laurel County. “Politics is small. I will certainly be more proactive when I go home. I have the names of five legislators I’ll focus on.”

        “It should be proposed that Kentuckians get a paid day off to come here and lobby. It shouldn’t be a hardship to be here,” shared Cynthia Ryan Kelly of Lexington. “The three legislators that we talked with were very patient and I was impressed with them. I’ll lobby again and bring more people.”

        “Every time I come here I feel more at ease and less cynical. I come and realize that [legislators] are real people and they’re willing to listen,” said Tina Johnson of Madison County. “Coming here is an effective way, probably the most effective way. Our leaders can’t represent us if they don’t here from us.

        “Something good about the lobbying days is that you get to meet so many people from across the state,” she added. “It makes it feel much bigger and part of a movement.”