Giving Thanks to You, Our Supporters
We at KCC are so thankful for you- our members and supporters. We could not do this work without YOU. This “slow” season that happens prior to the 2025 General Assembly has actually been one of our busiest ever. Particularly this past month, when we have been participating in information-sharing and strategic planning discussions with the many partner groups we support and the government agencies we work with. Just this past week alone, we participated in various coalition workgroups addressing flood resilience, nuclear energy, solar projects, and advanced sustainable manufacturing just to name a few.
Because the Kentucky Conservation Committee is a 501c4 nonprofit that focuses on direct lobbying, we are particularly dependent on the direct contributions of our members, supporters and strategic partners. So we want to thank you for the support you give to us every year. You are a critical partner in the success of our work.
As our thanks to you, we invite you to join us on Friday, December 6, 2024 for our annual Kentucky Voices event. This year’s event to celebrate our local authors and artisans will be held once again at the Church of the Ascension, 311 Washington Street in downtown Frankfort. Come join us for a relaxing evening to see friends and hear more from our home-grown talent. We will have refreshments for you at a 6:30 reception and the authors will begin their presentations at 7PM. So please come join us in Frankfort!
Kentucky Voices is free to KCC members in good standing, as our "thank you" for your support, but if you have not already done so, we also encourage you to renew your membership at the event and invite a friend to come and join us!
Presenting Authors will be bringing their books for signing, just in time for your holiday gift shopping! This year’s event features these distinguished authors:
Melissa Helton, editor of the powerful 2024 anthology “Troublesome Rising: A Thousand-Year Flood in Eastern Kentucky.” Published by the University of Kentucky Press
Jon Reynolds, photographer and author of the 2024 book “Illuminating Nature: Chasing Light Across the Landscape.”
Greg Pape, poet and author of the 2023 collection “A Field of First Things,” published by Accents Publishing in Lexington.
To reserve your spot for this year's event, go to this link. Note: Donations to KCC are not tax-deductible due to our effective environmental lobbying efforts.
Help us to Build Our Capacity for 2025!
Build the Base: We need your help to build our power at the State Capitol and beyond to advance environmental policies that preserve and protect Kentucky's natural resources. Do you know colleagues or organizations who are interested in working with us to advance sound environmental policies? Do you have friends who gave their all during the election season and are now looking for other places to defend our environmental goals? Then we hope you can share this link below and spread the word on our "Build the Base" campaign. https://donorbox.org/ky-conservation-committee-build-the-base-campaign
KCC Behind-the-Scenes Heroes
We can’t finish the year without thanking a couple of our behind-the-scenes heroes. The Kentucky Conservation Committee depends on our staff, board members and contractors for our day-to-day operations. We want to take a moment to particularly thank Randy Strobo of Strobo-Barkley PLLC, who provides the legal support for much of our legislative analysis for over a decade now, and Glenye Oakford, who came on with us over a year ago and provides the administrative capacity we need at critical times to keep our projects moving.
Regional Roundtable Recap
This past week, representatives from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions were in Lexington to present panels on “Manufacturing an Advanced Energy Future in Kentucky.” The program included representatives from the transportation industry, research facilities and universities to discuss our future sustainable manufacturing needs. While the sessions focused on energy efficiency and emerging fuel resources, the primary theme of the conference was the urgent need to develop a solid trained and skilled workforce to support a clean manufacturing future. and how to build a comprehensive supply chain domestically to support sustainable industries locally. KCC will continue to be a part of these discussions as part of our sustainable industry work.
Have you met With your Lawmaker Yet?
Contact us!
It was challenging to get hold of many lawmakers during the past several months while they were on the election campaign trail, so if you have not had a chance to have some face-time with your local Representative or Senator, contact us and we can help you make those appointments and prepare for your meeting. We especially want to encourage you to reach out if you have a newly-elected member. We also are starting to hear on this year’s leadership appointments: Sen. Max Wise of Campbellsville was elected as the next majority floor leader within the Republican caucus and Sen. Robby Mills of Henderson, will be the majority caucus chair. Senate President Robert Stivers of Manchester, President Pro Tempore David Givens of Greensburg, and Majority Whip Mike Wilson of Bowling Green, were re-elected to their positions.
Now that lawmakers are off of the campaign trail, it’s a great time to schedule your meetings for January, during the early part of the 2025 session (or even earlier if you can reach them in their home districts over the holidays!). Reach out to KCC and we can help!
Save the Date! KCC Legislative Summit- January 26, 2025 in Frankfort
Mark your calendars now for the Kentucky Conservation Committee’s annual Legislative Summit, which will be held once again on the campus of Kentucky State University on Sunday afternoon (1-4) January 26, 2025. We are hoping for somewhat warmer weather this year (last year’s conference was slightly disrupted by the polar vortex!) and a full day of trainings and sessions to help you be a more effective activist and advocate for the issues you care about during the 2025 General Assembly. Watch this space for updates!