Giving Thanks
As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, we want to thank all of our members and supporters for engaging with the Kentucky Conservation Committee during this year. We’ve had the opportunity to meet with communities all across the state and hear the stories about the places you live and how you are working to make them better and more sustainable.
This past week, we had the honor and privilege of joining the Kentucky Land Trusts Coalition for their monthly meeting, where we gave a presentation about building effective coalitions. This is important, as we once again prepare for another legislative session that is focused on the state budget. During each budget session, one of our projects is to bring attention to the dilemma of declining funding for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. This fund has played an integral part in protecting and preserving over 95,000 acres of Kentucky’s natural areas and habitats on 174 tracts in 67 counties.
But despite its years of success, many of the sources the fund draws upon for its work, for the most part, have been in decline. KCC has been helping this coalition to research how other states have been sourcing their land conservation funding and have been speaking with dozens of lawmakers during the interim session to educate them on the history of the fund and its importance. This issue will continue to be a topic for us during the 2024 legislative session and we will be providing updates during the KCC Legislative Summit and Annual Meeting on January 21st, 2024.
Interim Session Highlights This Past Week
This past Thursday (Nov. 16) lawmakers on the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources heard an update from Kenya Stump, Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy for the Energy and Environment Cabinet, who updated committee members on the progress around the solar power industry in Kentucky. During the presentation, the Office outlined the progress of Merchant solar, utility-owned solar, large-commercial (company-owned) solar and residential solar operations. Despite the increase at all levels, Kentucky still lags far behind many states in solar adoption. However, that is changing. When combining utility, merchant and large commercial solar projects, the Office reported there are “potentially” as many as 213 projects in the queue.
Lawmakers also heard from Evan Vaughan, Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, who gave an update on grid-scale solar in Kentucky, including reporting that the first grid-scale merchant solar project, the Turkey Creek project in Garrard County, is now online and that there are another 820mw of similar projects under construction as we speak.
Lawmakers on the committee, particularly those from coal-rich districts, raised questions about the reliability of solar and the waste generated from solar panels once retired. Ms. Stump pointed out that even though solar panels are given a typical rating of 25-30 years, that they still have a useful life that can go far beyond that rating and can be repurposed for other applications even with a diminished capacity. And while lawmakers continued to try to point the fingers at solar to explain the rolling blackouts from 2022’s Winter Storm Elliott, most analysis lays the blame on natural-gas fired generators and inadequate preparation for the extreme cold.
Upcoming KCC Events:
KCC Presentation for the Bluegrass Sierra Club, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023
KCC’s ”Kentucky Voices” event on December 8, 2023
KCC’s Legislative Summit on January 21st, 2024.
We want to thank the Sierra Club Bluegrass Group for inviting KCC to their monthly meeting this Monday, Nov. 20, at 7PM in Lexington to discuss citizen lobbying. Details here.
Ky Voices Registration OPEN NOW! Kentucky Voices is back to an in-person gathering to highlight Kentucky's authors and artists, and to benefit the Kentucky Conservation Committee and its mission. It’s a great time to get together in preparation for the 2023 legislative session. Authors will be on hand to sign and sell their books at this event, so it’s a great time to grab your favorite books in time for the holiday gift season.
This year’s event will feature these distinguished Kentucky authors including former Governor Paul Patton, LeTonia Jones, Byron Crawford, and Richard Taylor. The event is FREE for KCC members in good standing, and if it is time for your renewal, we encourage you to use this opportunity to renew with us and bring a friend to help build our membership in time for the upcoming session. Details HERE.
Mark your calendars for KCC’s Annual Meeting and Legislative Summit which will be held once again on Sunday Afternoon, Jan. 21, 2024 at Kentucky State University…this will be your opportunity to get the updates on the legislative session, plus trainings to sharpen your legislative advocacy skills. Watch this space for updates!
Help us Grow!
As you plan your annual giving this season or gather with friends, we hope you will keep KCC in mind as we prepare for the 2024 General Assembly in January. Your contributions are so important to our success. But even more, we value the power of our members and supporters when they show up to express their views on the issues they care about. So please help us spread the word and encourage your friends to join us in our mission!