Environment
Kentucky Senate advances bill creating new hurdles for utilities to retire power plants
Republicans in the GOP-dominated Kentucky Senate advanced a bill Tuesday largely on a party line vote to create new hurdles before utilities can retire fossil fuel-fired power plants in the state, touting the legislation as a way to keep the state’s electricity supply reliable and available.? Senate Bill 349, backed by Senate President Robert Stivers, […]
Kentucky Senate’s pro-coal bill would burden ratepayers, make energy transition more chaotic
For many years, Kentucky’s three-person, non-partisan Public Service Commission (PSC) has presided over Kentucky’s investor-owned and co-operative electric utilities. It has been guided by two principles — that utilities should meet the energy needs of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional customers using the reasonable least-cost alternative. And that those utilities, for the privilege of having […]
Legislature should reject sludge regulations that could harm farmers, damage farmland
On March 11, the Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee will consider a set of revisions to Energy and Environment Cabinet regulations that weaken protections for farmers, farmland and the public from the application of contaminated sludges from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Called “biosolids,” the sludges remaining from city treatment of residential, commercial and industrial wastes contain […]
Clinging to coal: Kentucky utilities could have more hurdles to clear before retiring power plants
FRANKFORT — A bill backed by the Republican Kentucky Senate president would create new hurdles for utilities to retire fossil fuel-fired power plants, building on last year’s law that made it harder for utilities to move away from coal and natural gas. Senate Bill 349, primarily sponsored by Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, was approved Wednesday […]
Lawmakers across the U.S. seek to curb utility spending on politics, ads and more extras
After a string of scandals and amid rising bills, lawmakers in statehouses across the country have been pushing legislation to curb utilities spending ratepayer money on lobbying, expert testimony in rate cases, goodwill advertising, charitable giving, trade association membership and other costs. At least a dozen states have considered bills to limit how gas, water […]
Small Kentucky farms are again exempt from hunting, fishing license requirements
FRANKFORT — One of the first bills to become law in this year’s legislative session clarifies that Kentuckians who own farms of five acres or smaller can fish or hunt on their own property without purchasing a hunting or fishing license.? Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, signed into law Thursday by […]
Bill could jeopardize protection put in place 17 years ago after death of Harlan County miner
A long-time mine safety advocate says a bill approved by a Kentucky House committee will put coal miners at risk by undoing a key protection in a 2007 law. Tony Oppegard, a former mine inspector and attorney working nearly two decades representing coal miners and their families in wrongful death cases and other litigation, was […]
Bill promoting nuclear energy in Kentucky advanced by Senate committee
FRANKFORT — The University of Kentucky would be home to a new authority to develop nuclear energy’s potential in the state, including identifying sites for nuclear reactors and other facilities, under a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.? Senate Bill 198, sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, a long-time advocate […]
Kentucky Senate takes aim at ‘harassing’ drones photographing livestock, food production
FRANKFORT — A bill backed by Kentucky’s poultry industry and approved by the Senate Thursday would subject drone operators to new restrictions that opponents warn could help hide health and safety hazards in food production. Critics worry that Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Sen. John Schickel, a Republican from Northern Kentucky, could criminalize more activities […]
House budget slams the brakes on future electric vehicle purchases by some state agencies
FRANKFORT — Auto manufacturers are investing billions in Kentucky to build electric vehicles, but some state agencies wouldn’t be able to buy them under a mandate from the Republican House. The two-year state spending plan passed by the GOP-dominated House this month would require various state agencies looking to buy new vehicles to purchase only […]
State budget support for airport at Bluegrass Station reignites local opposition
FRANKFORT — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and House Republicans differed on plenty in their two-year state budget proposals but landed on one area of agreement: Supporting efforts to build a general aviation airport with a 7,800-foot runway and airpark at Bluegrass Station, a state-owned industrial park at Avon in Fayette County.? A local government attempt […]
Manchin blasts White House for siding with climate activists in natural gas pause
Members of the U.S. Senate Energy Committee on Thursday questioned the Biden administration’s recent move to pause approvals of some liquified natural gas exports, saying the move appeared to be taken for political purposes. Committee Chair Joe Manchin III, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, urged President Joe Biden to back out of the Department […]