Fall Colors—and Noise?
At the same time we were appreciating this week’s story in the Lexington Herald-Leader celebrating the Red River Gorge—and where to make the most of it’s Fall colors, we were also being hit with emails and calls about the story we posted in last week’s blog on a cryptocurrency mining operation in the rural community of Zachariah. This area lies just outside of the Red River Gorge geological area.
One thing’s for sure: If there’s one topic that is sure to get KCC members riled up, it’s issues that threaten the Red River Gorge.
A year ago, activists from Red River Gorge United raised concerns about the potential for unchecked development in reaction to a proposal for a “destination resort” near the Gorge. Since few of the counties in and around the area lack planning and zoning, there are few safeguards to encourage responsible development in this region that complements the unique natural areas.
But this year, the problem is unchecked noise. In a follow-up to last week’s story in the Kentucky Lantern, citizens made a plea to the Wolfe County Judge Executive for a noise ordinance to address the 24-7 wailing of this new cryptomining operation, only to be rebuffed. And this is not the first time such issues have been raised. We were first alerted to other noise concerns in the region a while back, with some coming from an off-road vehicle park a few miles away as well.
Unchecked noise pollution can be a serious problem for humans and wildlife even though it does not receive as much attention as other types of pollution. But studies have shown that there are direct links between noise and health including high blood pressure, sleep disruption and hearing loss.
State Government Updates
KCC will be one of the many attendees for the upcoming Governor’s Conference on Energy and the Environment, where state agencies and special guests will be reporting on the state of our environment, as well as energy trends. This year’s event will feature sessions on disaster response and community planning, as well as updates on Kentucky’s energy landscape. We also anticipate a review of the impacts created by PFAS “forever chemicals” on our waterways. There will also be demonstration exhibits including our friends at the Evolve Electric Vehicle Group, who will be helping to educate state workers and attendees about the electric car economy. We will be providing a full recap in our next blog.
Federal Updates:
This Friday (10/13), President Biden will announce seven regional clean hydrogen hub projects have received funding from the Department of Energy. Kentucky has been involved in three separate proposals for hydrogen hub projects through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The administration is statutorily required to fund at least four hydrogen hubs through the 8 billion dollar hydrogen hub program. While we at KCC prefer to see the development of the more environmentally friendly Green Hydrogen (obtained by electrolysis of water), the Kentucky Oil and Gas Association has been advocating for the development of Blue Hydrogen, which is mainly produced from natural gas. The Infrastructure act stipulates the funding of four hydrogen hub projects, with one each focused on Green Hydrogen, Blue Hydrogen, and Pink Hydrogen (which utilizes nuclear energy). Check out KCC’s information page on hydrogen development in Kentucky, and our friends at the Sierra Club have produced the following fact sheet on this technology.
Last Call for Tickets! Wild and Scenic Film Festival to Benefit KCC, Oct. 20th
(Live in-person and virtual—Tickets must be purchased in advance)
Eleven great short outdoor adventure films, door prizes, and a silent auction! [Auction bidding open now with more items soon to come!] Join us on Friday, October 20th for KCC’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the historic Lyric Theatre in Lexington, and also being offered as a virtual option so you can join us for the event anywhere in the state. The event is a benefit for KCC, so we hope to see you there! Thanks to our local feature sponsor: Solar Energy Solutions, And supporting sponsors: Paladin Engineers, J and H Outdoors, Wild Birds Unlimited (Lexington), Canoe Kentucky, Pedal Power Bike Shop, Republic Bank, Good Foods Co-Op, Michler’s Florist, and Oakford Multimedia
Purchase Tickets HERE. And for a full list of the films, visit our webpage for the event.
Mark Your Calendars:
The 2024 regular legislative session will begin on January 2, 2024 and will run for sixty legislative days. KCC will be holding its annual Legislative Summit shortly after the session kickoff, so watch this space for updates. Full schedule HERE.
Also, join us and seven great Louisville-based nonprofits for the Louisville Earth Walk at Shawnee Park on October 28th, 2023. Details and registration HERE. We are also looking for volunteers to assist with the event.