kentucky
Newsletter
Eastern Kentucky frequently faces costly flooding disasters
Flood-prone counties in Kentucky often receive federal disaster aid due to repeated and severe flooding, surpassing disaster-prone coastal areas.
In short:
- Floyd County, KY has been declared a federal disaster zone 14 times since 2011 due to severe flooding.
- Most frequent federal disasters are in inland counties, not coastal ones, with eight of the nine most disaster-prone counties in Kentucky.
- Federal aid distribution shows a significant need for enhancing resilience in vulnerable inland areas.
Key quote:
“After that flood I had 500 homeless people looking at me, ‘Judge what are we going to do’? It’s overwhelming and it’s just a matter of time before it happens again.”
— Judge Robbie Williams, Floyd County administrator
Why this matters:
Unlike the dramatic hurricanes and storm surges that hit coastal cities and make national headlines, the flooding in Kentucky often goes underreported. However, the impact on local communities is just as devastating. Homes are washed away, businesses shutter, and lives are disrupted as families face the arduous task of rebuilding from scratch time and time again.
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Kentucky AG receives $3 million to combat federal environmental regulations
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has secured additional funding to legally challenge new environmental regulations imposed by the Biden administration, which target fossil fuel emissions and pollution.
In short:
- Coleman argues the EPA's regulations will adversely affect electricity prices and reliability in Kentucky, particularly concerning coal power.
- The state legislature, supporting Coleman, allocated $3 million from the budget reserve to fund these legal battles.
- Environmental advocates criticize the expenditure, pointing out the utility sector's ongoing transition away from coal due to economic and environmental pressures.
Key quote:
"We're going to be pushing back and fighting the EPA particularly in a way that is unprecedented."
— Russell Coleman, Attorney General of Kentucky
Why this matters:
The Commonwealth of Kentucky, historically reliant on coal as a cornerstone of its economy, finds itself at a crossroads where the health of its citizens and their environment are increasingly weighed against the livelihoods that the fossil fuel industry supports. The new regulations, which proponents argue are essential to combat climate change and protect public health, are seen by some in the coal industry as a threat to jobs and economic stability.
Find out more: EHN's Kristina Marusic recently reported on how protesters confronted coal and steel executives about their industries' contributions to poor health in western Pennsylvania.
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Congressional office agrees to investigate 'zombie' coal mines
Kentucky citizens’ law group finds 40 percent of state’s active coal strip mines are “functionally abandoned.”
Newsletter
Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
'Massive' federal solar investment could mean big utility savings in Kentucky
Advocates see an Inflation Reduction Act program as a critical opportunity to help low-income communities reap the benefits of solar power.
AppHarvest promised Kentucky green jobs. It delivered 'hell on earth'
The inside story of how the celebrated startup AppHarvest's indoor farming scheme imploded — and took its blue-collar workforce down with it.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear avoids climate change in reelection bid
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear boasts about clean energy jobs in his bid against a GOP challenger, but purposely avoids discussing global warming.
Newsletter
Louisville’s plan to combat urban heat could take a century at its current pace
Louisville Metro’s Cool Roof Incentive program and urban tree planting efforts are the city’s best strategies for combating the rapidly growing urban heat island, but they’re not moving fast enough.
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