Rowan County | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Chapter: Rowan County

If you believe “what we do to the land, we do to the people,” then you’ll find friends in KFTC’s Rowan County chapter.

Members from Rowan and surrounding counties work together to address problems and have a say in policies and actions affecting the land and people here in our own communities and throughout the state. We raise awareness about mountaintop removal, air quality, water quality, tax fairness, clean and affordable energy, and other issues important to our members.

Our monthly chapter meeting is a great way to learn about our local and statewide work, share your own ideas and get involved.

 

Recent Activities

RECLAIM Act and AML pass the House as part of The Moving Forward Act

KFTC Staff on July 3, 2020 in Coal and Water, New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County, Congress, , RECLAIM Act

Kentucky will have a better chance at seeing its $400 million backlog of mine reclamation projects move forward thanks to legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on July 1.

Both the RECLAIM Act and reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Lands Program were included in the INVEST in America Act (a.k.a The Moving Forward Act), a broad bill addressing the country’s infrastructure needs.

"I am overjoyed that Congress is finally helping to clean up abandoned mines and polluted waterways," said Joanne Hill, a retired nurse originally from Harlan County now living in Pulaski County. "For too long, Kentuckians have been pleading for action with no response.”

ORSANCO work continues, hearings in early April

Joe Gallenstein on March 29, 2019 in Coal and Water, Big Sandy, , Jefferson County, , Northern Kentucky, , Rolling Bluegrass, , Rowan County, , Western Kentucky, Water Quality

For more than a year, KFTC has worked with allies to protect the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission’s (ORSANCO) mission to clean and protect the Ohio River through monitoring and enforcement. This commission, made up of representatives of the federal government and 8 members states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois) of ORSANCO maintains pollution control standards that are higher than the EPA or state enforcement agencies.

While these standards have not solved the Ohio River’s pollution issues, it has made considerable progress since the founding in 1948. Yet some political appointees in ORSANCO want to make these essential standards optional for states to enforce, giving states the ability to ignore damage to our water systems that disproportionately impacts lower income people and people of color across the region.

KFTC members continue to build New Power through the Power House workshops

KFTC Staff on November 9, 2018 in New Energy and Transition, Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Sustainable Energy, Cumberland, , Rowan County, Climate Justice, , Empower Kentucky, , featured, , workshop

Since April of this year, KFTC members across eastern Kentucky have helped host energy efficiency workshops in their commun

Fixing What's Broke: why Congress must support a Just Transition for miners with black lung and communities

Lisa Abbott on October 21, 2018 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, , Community Science & Public Health, , Energy Democracy, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, , Sustainable Energy, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County, , Western Kentucky, Black Lung, , Climate Justice, , Congress, , Empower Kentucky, , Federal tax policy, , I Love Mountains Day, , Knott County, , Mine Safety, , OSM - Office of Surface Mining, , Power Plants, , RECLAIM Act

A new report from KFTC describes ways Kentuckians are organizing to demand action from Congress – and especially from Senator Mitch McConnell – in support of a Just Transition for miners with black lung disease, retired and laid off miners, and their communities.

To build a new economy in coal communities, the report says Congress should start by "fixing what's broke," including strengthening funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, passing the RECLAIM Act, and protecting miners' pensions.

Local black lung resolution is picking up steam

Lisa Abbott on October 16, 2018 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, , Communities Taking Action, , Energy Democracy, , Sustainable Energy, Big Sandy, , Cumberland, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County, Black Lung, , Climate Justice, , Congress, , Empower Kentucky, , Federal tax policy, , Knott County, , Mine Safety, , Power Plants, , RECLAIM Act

Most recent update as of Jan 2, 2019: Sixteen local governments in Kentucky have passed local resolutions in 2018 calling on Senator McConnell and other members of Congress to do right by our miners and communities by passing the RECLAIM Act, strengthening funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protecting miners' pensions. 

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The resolution was first adopted by the City of Benham in Harlan County in September 2018. That action was followed quickly by local governments in the cities of Jackson, Morehead and Whitesburg, and in Breathitt, Knott, Letcher, Rowan and Pike counties. 

Knott, Letcher, Rowan and Pike counties became the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th local governments in eastern Kentucky to pass a local resolution calling on members of Congress to pass several bills needed to help sick, disabled, retired and unemployed coal miners and their communities. The fiscal courts in Letcher and Knott counties took the unanimous action at their respective monthly meetings on October 15, and Pike and Rowan counties acted the next day.

Update 11.30.2018: The Floyd County Fiscal Court became the 10th Kentucky community to pass the resolution on October 18. Magoffin County quickly became the 11th, followed by Ohio County, in Western Kentucky, Knox County, and the City of Lynch in Harlan County. 

Update 12.10.2018: Johnson County's Fiscal Court passed the 15th resolution in Kentucky by local governments calling on Senator McConnell and other members of Congress to do right by our miners and coal communities!

Update in late December: Harlan County's Fiscal Court passed the 16th resolution urging Congress to pass the RECLAIM Act, strengthen the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protect miners' pensions. 

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Regular Meetings:

St. Alban's Episcopal Church
145 E. 5th St
Morehead, KY 40351
Monthly chapter meeting:

Third Thursday of the month, 6:00 p.m.

Chapter Organizer:

Nikita Perumal
Morehead, KY 40351
859-278-8644

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