August 2013 - balancing the scales

August 1, 2013

pg. 18

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID LEXINGTON, KY. PERMIT NO. 513

Water testing workshops continue to build the case for clean water

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Volume 32 Number 5

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth P.O. Box 1450 London, Ky. 40743

balancing the scales

KFTC members reflect on the Trayvon Martin verdict pg. 4

Barn dance raised a ruckus and grassroots funds pg. 8

The 16-month road to restoring voting rights in Kentucky pg. 10

Building power and having fun in Wilderness Trace

Proposed Farm Bill would cut nutrition benefits for families pg. 9

The Clean Energy Collaborative passes exciting recommendations pg. 20

pg. 6

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

Table of Contents Member Commentary The abridgment of the right to vote in 21st Century America, Part I

page 3

KFTC members reflect on the Trayvon Martin verdict Reflections on the Trayvon Martin verdict by Meta Mendel-Reyes

page 4 page 5

Local Updates Building power and having fun in Wilderness Trace Social justice, democracy and rock n’ roll — Jefferson County celebrates Madison County learns from guests, engages in annual chapter meeting Raising Awareness on the Mat: Central Kentucky’s Community Slow Flow Yoga Barn dance raised a ruckus and grassroots funds

page 6 page 6 page 7 page 7 page 8

Economic Justice Updates Proposed Farm Bill would cut nutrition benefits for families Bridge toll would adversely impact low income

page 9 page 21

Voting Rights Update The 16-month road to restoring voting rights in Kentucky Democracy voices: Mark Romines, Jefferson County

page 10 page 10

KFTC Annual Meeting KFTC’s 2013-2014 Draft Platform Annual Meeting Registration Annual Meeting Schedule Steering Committee nominates an experienced, diverse group

page 11-14 page 15 page 16 page 17

Canary Project Update Water testing workshops continue to build the case for clean water Favorable ruling, new motions keep legal cases moving Institutionalized poisoning of Kentucky’s waterways

page 18 page 19 page 19

New Energy and Transition Update The Clean Energy Collaborative passes exciting recommendations RENEW Shelby Energy: Members organize for democracy KFTC participates in Our Power Camp on Navajo Reservation Grassroots organizing creating stiff resistance to pipeline The way forward: we know more than we think we know

Name: Address: City, State Zip: Phone: Email: I want to make my donation to the following organization (check one): ____ KFTC (not tax-deductible) ____ Kentucky Coalition (tax-deductible) B a n k W i t h d r a w a l / C re d i t C a rd P a y m e n t Authorization: I authorize KFTC/KY Coalition to debit my account or charge my credit card in accordance with the information provided. I understand that this authority will remain in effect until cancelled or changed by reasonable notification to KFTC/KY Coalition.

Who asked you to join KFTC?

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is a statewide grassroots social justice orga­­ni­ zation working for a new balance of power and a just society. KFTC uses direct-action organizing to accomplish the following goals: • foster democratic values • change unjust institutions • empower individuals • overcome racism and other discrimination • communicate a message of what’s possible • build the organization • help people participate • win issues that affect the common welfare • have fun KFTC membership dues are $15 to $50 per year, based on ability to pay. No one is denied membership because of inability to pay.

Membership is open to anyone who is committed to equality, democracy and nonviolent change.

KFTC Steering Committee Sue Tallichet, chair Dana Beasley Brown, vice chair Rick Handshoe, secretary-treasurer Megan Naseman, at-large member Steve Boyce, immediate past chair

Chapter Representatives page 20 page 20 page 21 page 22 page 23

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Homer White, Scott County Christian Torp, Central Kentucky Ted Withrow, Rowan County Ben Baker, Northern Kentucky Shekinah Lavalle, Jefferson County Travis Lane, Southern Kentucky Jack Ball, Harlan County Cleveland Smith, Perry County Meta Mendel-Reyes, Madison County Elizabeth Sanders, Letcher County Whitney Blackburn, Floyd County Daniel Morgan, Wilderness Trace Leslie McBride, Shelby County Alternates: Rosanne Fitts Klarer, Scott County; Greg Capillo, Central Kentucky; Lisa Bryant, Rowan County; Rick Traud, Northern Kentucky; Nan Goheen, Jefferson County; Alan Smith, Southern Kentucky; Carl Shoupe, Harlan County; Katie Pirotina, Perry County; Steve Wilkins, Madison County; Ada Smith, Letcher County; Leah Bayens, Wilderness Trace; Patrick King, Shelby County. balancing the scales is published by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and mailed third class from Lexington, Kentucky.

Reader contri­butions and letters to the editor should be sent to 250 Southland Drive Suite #4, Lexington, KY. 40503 or tim@kftc.org.

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

Member Commentary

The abridgment of the right to vote in 21st Century America, Part I

by Christian L. Torp

This is a two-part series. Part II will be published in the September issue of balancing the scales and will focus on the recent Supreme Court decision and how it effects the Voting Rights Act.

You may well ask yourself what the motto of the Industrial Workers of the World, the radical proponents of workers organized without regard for trade or skill into “One Big Union” (IWW, a.k.a.

“Wobblies”, www.iww.org) has to do with American democracy. I believe it has everything to do with it.

It was the founding principle of the Wobblies that none but the employers won when workers divided themselves into numerous and thereby competing labor organizations. Without cooperation between the workers at every step of production one group could be, and was, played against the others by the handout of a pittance of privilege or superiority.

Such competition carries with it the implicit assumption that there will be winners and losers and thereby spawns division and classism. Such is the right to vote in America today.

The state has always used this divisive power to it’s benefit. At the beginning in 1789, property owning white males were held up as the only ones suitable for such voting privilege and while democracy has become far more real than it was then it still has so far to go.

The protest chant rings true, “the people, united, can never be defeated” so the states work continually and incessantly to divide the people against themselves and sows seeds of division whenever it benefits the powers that be.

Whether it’s the apparent unification of the people against some outside evil, whether it be “communists” or “terrorism” the end result is always the same, the victims are Americans.

From the McCarthyism of the 1950s, the enslavement of Africans, the Jim Crow Era, the “war on drugs” or the most recent Supreme Court case on the supremely successful Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Shelby Co. Ala v. Holder), the end result is always the same, Americans are pitted against each other and everybody looses except the nationalistic idol allegiance must be ascribed to.

Section 145 of Kentucky’s Constitution is no different. First enacted in 1891,

the evident purpose of felony disenfranchisement was keep poor people, all African-Americans then and whites who were poor from voting and challenging the existing power structures. Given that the current ratio of blacks to whites currently incarcerated in Kentucky is 5:1, it’s irrefutable that the purpose of felony disenfranchisement today in Kentucky is racism.

The 3:1 ratio that defines the disparate incarceration rate of Hispanics to Whites arguable could be explained away, but a magnitude of five times? In legal terms it would be res ipsa loquitur, Latin for “the thing itself speaks.” It’s so evident from its face that it can be explained by nothing else; the disparate application of a law by a magnitude of five times can only be explained by one thing: intentionality.

We at KFTC believe that our democracy works best when all people have access to good information and are able to participate in decisions affecting their lives and communities, all people.

We all hurt and we all suffer when one benefits by another’s being held down.

We all loose when people are divided against each other, instead of building each other up some work to cut others down to enhance their relative position.

That the U.S. Department of Justice deferred prosecutions on August 28, 2008, just as the Wall Street bubble was about to burst, and has prosecuted not a single one of those who raked in millions by their malfeasance yet at the same time continues to spend some $40 billion annually (not including human or employment costs) on Richard Nixon’s 1971 “war on drugs” speaks to division and intentionality in the existence and continuance of a racial and economic caste system.

Let’s see, no penalties for Bank of America’s distribution of financial incentives to employees who instead of directing drowning homeowners to the Home Affordable Modification Program used it to squeeze as much money as possible from homeowners before foreclosing on their homes – with five times more African-Americans disenfranchised in Kentucky than whites. Chance?

Never fear, KFTC is here! As Dave Newton said at his going away party last week at Kids Place: “We did impossible things. Things that other people said couldn’t be done, like stopping last year’s

Members and allies gathered in Frankfort at the state capitol during the 2013 legislative session in support of HB 70, restoring voting rights to former felons. unjust redistricting plan and registering 302 voter registrations in 4 hours, just to name a couple. We do impossible things.

So of course we know that they’re not really impossible. Which is the hallmark of all good community organizing and all good science fiction. To change people’s ideas of what’s possible.”

For years now KFTC has been working toward change in HB 70, a bill to amend Kentucky’s Constitution that, upon passage, would put forth a ballot enabling Kentuckians to decide whether it’s right to continue to punish someone even after they’ve finished the sentence that was fairly imposed on them by law.

We at KFTC believe that it’s only fair and right to allow people to be citizens after they’ve paid the debt that society says they owe and once again expects them to be law abiding, tax-paying, draft-eligible citizens.

With exceptions for certain heinous crimes, HB 70 upon passage by the people of Kentucky, would automatically restore a person the right to vote upon the expiration of probation, final discharge from parole, or maximum expiration of sentence. It’s passed every one of these eight last years by an overwhelming majority in the House only to be blocked by one man on Senate committee, every time.

Again, the actions of one hold us all

back. Very undemocratic, isn’t it?

The way to change the constitution in Kentucky other then by a Constitutional Convention, is the passage of a bill through the House and Senate by a 60 percent super majority and its popular passage by the people of Kentucky, as we’ve been pursuing these last eight years unsuccessfully. But now we’re putting the pressure on.

When the Senate State and Local Government Committee was chaired by Sen. Daymon Thayer, his pastor happened to speak to him about the rightness of our cause. Through a year of lobbying, relationship building and research we were able, through friendly Lexington First District Council member Chris Ford, to have the second largest city in the state unanimously pass a resolution in support of the restoration of voting rights to returning citizens and directing the city council to notify the governor, Senate president, House speaker and Fayette County’s legislators of this event this past February.

So on and so forth, escalation is in progress and in planning ...

The legislature is not in session now, but we’re still pushing and we know that we’re going to win. What’s more, I don’t think that anyone in Frankfort doesn’t think we’re going to win this one either. (continued on page 5)

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

KFTC members reflect on the Trayvon Martin verdict

In the wake of the Trayvon Martin verdict, many KFTC members and allies are taking steps to reflect, listen, share perspectives and take action in support of racial justice.

“I was profoundly disturbed by the verdict,” said Janet Tucker, a long-time KFTC member from Lexington. “It shows that racism is alive and well in our society. I think white people need to use this especially as a teaching moment. We need to demand that the Justice Department file civil rights charges against Zimmerman and oppose these ‘stand your ground’ laws.”

As Letcher County KFTC member Elizabeth Sanders acknowledged, “When the verdict first got announced was one of the first times I wished I lived in a bigger city. I felt a need to be around other folks who are feeling similarly. I wanted to be able to process with a larger group and be a part of some public response, even if it was a symbolic show of solidarity like a rally.”

Since then, Sanders says she’s felt overwhelmed by questions about how best to move forward. “How should I do things differently in my own life and

KFTC Offices and Staff MAIN OFFICE Morgan Brown, Robin Daugherty & Burt Lauderdale P.O. Box 1450 London, Kentucky 40743 606-878-2161 Fax: 606-878-5714 info@kftc.org

FIELD OFFICES Louisville Jessica George, Jerry Hardt, Alicia Hurle Carissa Lenfert, and Colette Henderson 735 Lampton St. Suite 202 Louisville, Ky 40203 502-589-3188 Whitesburg Tanya Turner P.O. Box 463 Whitesburg, Ky 41858 606-632-0051 Central Kentucky Tim Buckingham, Jessica Hays Lucas, Beth Howard, Erik Hungerbuhler, and Heather Roe Mahoney, 250 Plaza Drive Suite 4 Lexington, Ky 40503 859-276-0563

Northern Kentucky Joe Gallenstein 859-380-6103 Floyd County Jessie Skaggs 154 North Lake Drive Prestonsburg, Ky 41653 606-226-4159 Bowling Green Denney Breeding 270-779-6483 Berea Lisa Abbott, Beth Biss­ meyer, Amy Hogg, Sara Pennington and Kevin Pentz 140 Mini Mall Drive Berea, Ky 40403 859-986-1277 Teri Blanton 118 Baugh Street Berea, Ky 40403 859-986-1648

e-mail any staff member at firstname@kftc.org except for Jessica Hays Lucas -- use jessicabreen@kftc.org, Beth Howard -- use BethHoward@kftc.org, and Beth Bissmeyer -- use BethBissmeyer@kftc.org

work?” she wondered. “For me it means talking a lot justice that people can join and support. more about race in one-to-one conversations. As a As it happens, the executive director of one of the white person living in a community that is majority organizations highlighted in the toolkit is scheduled to white, talking with the people around me about these speak on Saturday morning at KFTC’s Annual Meeting issues is my biggest opportunity to be an ally.” in August 16-18.

In many parts of Kentucky,

Gihan Perera leads a group community responses to the decicalled Florida New Majority, a coali“The Trayvon Martin sion have included rallies, town hall tion of people of color led organizacase wasn’t an example tions working to build progressive meetings, church services, KFTC chapter discussions, and discuspolitical power within and across of the justice system sions among smaller groups of famFlorida’s racially diverse communinot working. It was an ily and friends. ties. He and his organization are example of the system The day after the verdict came currently providing support and down, a number of Louisville accoordination for a set of activists who working exactly as it’s tivists and organizations, includare holding a multi-day sit-in outside designed.” ing the Kentucky Alliance Against the offices of Florida Governor Rick Racist and Political Repression, the Scott.

Elizabeth Sanders Fairness Campaign, and Louisville

The activists are part of a group SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Juscalled Dream Defenders who vow to tice) organized a rally at the Carl Braden Memorial keep the pressure on until the governor calls the legCenter to express opposition to the verdict and take a islature into session to consider and repeal the state’s stand for racial justice.

Stand Your Ground Law. Perera will speak to KFTC

The following week, several community leaders in members on August 17 about his organization’s vision Lexington organized a well-attended public forum “for and work for building a stronger, more inclusive deimpassioned and informed dialogue.” More recently, mocracy in Florida. hundreds of Kentuckians took part in a solidarity ral Most of the issues raised by the Trayvon Martin lies in Louisville and Lexington as part of a “Justice for verdict are not new. But for many KFTC members and Trayvon” day of action which sparked public events in other caring people, they demand a response. The more than 100 towns and cities across the country. campaign to win voting rights for former felons is an “The community forum in Lexington was fantasimportant piece of KFTC’s work for racial justice in tic,” noted Lexington member Tanya Torp. “The room Kentucky. Kentucky is one of just four states that perwas packed and the speakers were powerful. There manently bars felons from voting unless they receive were some voices who had different views about the an individual pardon from the governor. verdict, but everyone was respectful. There were a As a result, Kentucky has the highest rate of Afrigood number of KFTC members there. We had the opcan American disenfranchisement in the nation. Other portunity to talk about ways people can get involved ongoing racial justice efforts across the state include in local organizations, including KFTC, that are doing work to reduce violence; improve schools; reduce ingood work.” carceration (especially of youth); address high levels Over the past year and the days since the verdict, of toxic pollution; ensure safe and affordable housing; a number of KFTC members have taken part in diaimprove access to healthy, affordable food; redevelop logues and other opportunities for action supported by abandoned properties; abolish the death penalty, and Louisville SURJ. empower young people. In many cases these impor LSURJ is part of a national network of primarily tant efforts are being spearheaded by people of color white anti-racist activists and organizations working led organizations, congregations, elected officials and to “move white people to take action as part of a multivolunteers. racial majority for justice.”

Supporting and getting involved in KFTC and Following the verdict, LSURJ supported local other groups working for equality and justice is an imdialogues and solidarity actions, while Carla Walportant way to turn individual concerns into meaninglace, Meta Mendel-Reyes and other Kentuckians also ful action. worked with the national SURJ network to develop As Elizabeth Sanders noted, “The Trayvon Martin and share an on-line “Justice For Trayvon” toolkit to case wasn’t an example of the justice system not worksupport people taking action. ing. It was an example of the system working exactly as

The toolkit (find it at www.showingupforracialjusit’s designed. From top to bottom, our criminal justice tice.org) offers a menu of actions people can take to system needs to be reformed, including conditions demonstrate support for the Martin family, engage inside prison and all the factors that have led to mass in conversations about race and privilege, and take a incarceration. stand for racial equality.

“For me, those challenges feel overwhelming. It’s It includes ideas for a range of actions requiring hard to figure out what meaningful actions we can just a few minutes, an hour, or a full day. The kit also take. But we’ve got to keep asking ourselves the quesincludes links to significant articles and websites, as tion: how do we move forward from here? And we’ve well as suggestions of organizations working for racial got to find ways to move forward together.”

KFTC member Meta Mendel-Reyes shares some additional reflections on the next page

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

Reflections on the Trayvon Martin verdict by Meta Mendel-Reyes How has the verdict and the varied public response affected you?

As the deliberations began, I started checking my phone regularly for news of the verdict (even during the Steering Committee meeting, I’m afraid). When I woke up the next morning, I slid my finger across my phone, and there it was: acquittal. I was angry at the injustice, pained for the young man and his family, and shocked. After 40 years of organizing, you’d think that there was nothing that could surprise me, but the hope that keeps me fighting was dashed again.

A friend of mine said that each generation has a moment when they realize that society is fundamentally unfair; for my parents’ generation, it was Emmitt Till; for me, it was the murder of the three civil rights workers; for the next generation, it was Rodney King; and for this generation, it is the murder of Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman’s acquittal.

The public response, however, has encouraged me greatly – young people and older people, African Americans and whites, gay rights activists and opponents of MTR, the whole country and even the South. There has also been a gratifying response from people working on a range of issues, not just racial justice.

While there is a lot of anger, there is also a sense of hope, that by acting together we can create a world that values all youth, including Trayvon. The key will be whether the spontaneous outpouring can be transformed into a movement, a sustained network of organizers and supporters committed to social justice, as Emmitt Till helped trigger the Civil Rights Movement. (For more about this, I encourage people to read Peter Dreier’s commentary on Huffingtonpost.com.)

Why is this an important opportunity for people, especially white people, to reflect and take action for racial justice?

This is an opportunity to recognize institutional racism, from our criminal justice system to other social institutions.

It is very important to move beyond treating this as a hideous aberration that elicits empathy, grief, and perhaps guilt.

White people need to recognize our privilege, that what happened to Trayvon would most likely have not happened to us, and that we, like Zimmerman, would have probably been acquitted. But reflection and discussion is not enough; we need to commit ourselves to action.

What are your thoughts about specific recent rallies or forums you’ve attended? (What events did you attend? What was positive or challenging about them?)

I have not attended rallies or forums, because there were not any where I live. But I have been working with SURJ - Showing Up for Racial Justice, writing and helping to distribute a toolkit for whites to take action in response to this event. In particular, I’ve helped distribute it to KFTC and to local Fairness. I’ve been very impressed by the dedication of the SURJ activists, including Carla Wallace who is also a KFTC member, and the breadth of the response across the nation. Editors note: The Justice For Trayvon Toolkit developed by the SURJ network can be found at: www.

showingupforracialjustice.org

How are you responding to this moment? In your view, what’s needed most at this time?

As I said, I am working with SURJ, helping to organize white people to take action for justice for Trayvon. I think that is the most important thing for white people to do. Although I see organizing as critical, it is important to recognize that there are many degrees of action, including “difficult conversations” with other white people; all are valuable. I think those of us working in social justice organizations, such as KFTC, ought to share our organizing experience, leading others in the direction of building a sustained, multi-issue movement for justice.

Are there suggestions, resources or challenges you want to share with other KFTC members?

The Justice for Trayvon Toolkit is a terrific resource.

Although I have emphasized the role that white people can play, it’s important to recognize the leadership and activity of people of color in this moment. It is very important that people of color take the lead in the movement for racial justice, and that white people avoid telling them what to do or “saving” them. We all need to work together, “with” one another, not “for” them. As the Aboriginal saying goes, “If you’ve come to help me, no thank you, but if your liberation is bound up with mine, then come, let us work together.”

Meta Mendel-Reyes is a professor at Berea College and Steering Committee representative from the Madison County KFTC Chapter. She previously worked as an organizer with the United Farmworkers Union in California. Meta was recently accepted to attend the James Lawson Institute, an 8-day experience in strategic evaluation of nonviolent civil resistance, hosted by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.

Right to vote in the 21st Century cont... (continued from previous page) The elite may have held us off this year, hoping for success next year, hoping that we won’t have sufficient time to educate the electorate and ultimately lose at the statewide ballot. But they also know the longer they hold it off, the more people are being educated.

An injury to one is an injury to all because if we’re not all in this together, what real reason does anyone have to work for the good of society. If it’s a dog-eatdog world, we’ll all be striving to lift ourselves up by pushing everyone else down. And if it’s that way, Kentucky’ll only be holding itself up to be a little better than the worst of the worst, not the truly great state it promises to be.

If it’s about doing better than everybody else and not about doing well all together, we’ll always be a little bit shorter than a little man in the senate, and that’s no way to be at all.

Either we can all go ahead and do great things together, or I’m holding myself out to be a little bit better than you. To hold one down is to hold everybody down. An injury to one is an injury to all.

Part II of this article, “The abridgment of the right to vote in 21st Century America Part II: Preclearance or Pessimism” where I look into the recent holding

in the landmark 2013 Supreme Court Decision Shelby Co. Ala v. Holder where the Court held: The Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in 1870, in the wake of the Civil War. It provides that “[t]he right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” and it gives Congress the “power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

“The first century of congressional enforcement of the Amendment, however, can only be regarded as a failure.”

Yet it brushes away the actual effect of laws intended to be racially discriminatory by holding that: “The dissent relies on ‘second-generation barriers,’ which are not impediments to the casting of ballots, but rather electoral arrangements that affect the weight of minority votes.”

Is it important whether citizen’s are disenfranchised and disempowered by outright racism or through legislative gerrymandering like was done to Senator Kathy Stine last year? Stay tuned and find out!

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

Local Updates

Building power and having fun in Wilderness Trace

Since becoming an official chapter last September, the Wilderness Trace chapter (encompassing Boyle, Mercer, Garrard and Lincoln counties) has been hard at work contributing to KFTC’s statewide issue campaigns and making its presence known in the community.

Wilderness Trace made quite a splash last fall by registering 58 new voters at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in just two days and playing an active role in the Speaker’s Park at the vice-presidential debate at Centre College. Several members spoke, sharing their personal stories, while other members staffed a KFTC information table.

After the election, members kept momentum going with their first chapter fundraising event in December with the No Greater Task: Art and Activism poster show at V the Market in Danville, where they recruited several new members and raised more than $900 for the organization, making it one of the most successful poster show events across the state.

During the legislative session earlier this year, Wilderness Trace members were present for every major KFTC lobby day with an especially strong presence at I Love Mountains Day, when dozens of students from Boyle County

spent the day in Frankfort. Members also met with legislators and rallied with allies at the Fairness Coalition’s lobby day.

Much of the spring was dedicated to planning and getting people engaged in the chapter’s first-ever large summer event, the Down Home Barn Bash.

On June 22, nearly 80 people, including members and new friends, gathered at Woodwind Farm in Junction City for an afternoon of good music, good food and good company, all in an effort to raise money and raise awareness about KFTC’s work.

Lee Ann Paynter, one of the members who helped found the chapter, spoke to the crowd about why she joined KFTC and cares about our work.

“When I was moving from California back to Kentucky, I decided I wanted to do something good for the state. After I got online and learned about KFTC, I joined and became a sustaining giver sight unseen because I felt what they were doing was that important.” Paynter then encouraged everyone to be sure to join before they left.

People chowed down on good food while listening to great live bluegrass music from The Jarflies, KFTC members from central Kentucky, Art Mize and Mason Colby.

Many people also spent time bidding on items in the silent auction.

Members solicited local businesses and artists and gathered more than 30 items for the auction, ranging from gift cards to play tickets to artwork, including a piece from glass artist Stephen Powell.

At its end, the silent auction brought in more than $1,500 and provided a fun

way for people to contribute.

The Barn Bash proved to be a great success as it brought in seven new KFTC members and raised more than $2,200. But beyond that, it created a fun space for people to come together and celebrate the work Wilderness Trace members are doing to build New Power.

by Elijah McKenzie

Social justice, democracy, and rock n’ roll ... that’s how Jefferson County chapter members kicked-off their 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 22.

In the heart of Butchertown – down the block from the former Jefferson County chapter office – the Tim Faulkner Gallery hosted the Birthday Bash, which featured music from a variety of local artists including Leigh Ann Yost and The Blacktop Farmers.

Host of Kentucky Homefront John Gage and WFPK-FM host Laura Shine co-emceed the celebration. Between the musical acts, KFTC members and allies took the stage to give testimonials and tell stories of how they became passionate about social justice activism, and how that passion led them to join the work of KFTC. Among the allies present were the ACLU of Kentucky, Fairness Campaign,

Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Louisville TimeBank, Kentucky Jobs with Justice, Guerrilla Putt-Putt, and Network Center for Community Change.

Visitors who strolled along the gallery were able to play games like puttputt, darts and ring toss while learning about affordable housing, hazardous waste reduction and workers rights.

Additionally, there were KFTC booths that highlighted the achievements of Jefferson County chapter members and raised awareness of economic and environmental justice issues in the state.

There was even a mock voting booth at the democracy table, where people could select an issue that they thought was most pressing for Kentuckians.

The deal-sweetener, however, was the introduction of a specially-crafted beer made from the combined forces of Bluegrass Brewing Company and (our friends across the river) New Albanian Brewing Company.

That’s not even mentioning the raffle, with prizes ranging from restaurant gift cards to a weekend pass to the Forecastle music festival.

It was quite a ruckus for a Birthday Bash. But for the residents of Jefferson County who have been positively impacted by the work of KFTC, it was a ruckus worth having. In the end, the Birthday Bash proved to be a great success as it brought in 5 new KFTC members and raised $850 in chapter fundraising.

What started as a grassroots movement in eastern Kentucky in the early 1980s quickly became a statewide mission: to work for a day when the needs of ordinary Kentuckians mattered more than profits. It was a belief that struck a chord for citizens across the Bluegrass, reaching as far as Louisville, where people were fighting similar battles for social equality in urban areas.

In 1983, Jefferson County members

formed a chapter and joined the statewide social justice organization known then as Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition (KFTC changed to its current name in 1987). It’s an anniversary worthy of a proper celebration: with music, beer and amazing people who still continue to work for that day.

KFTC members Art Mize (fiddle) and Mason Colby, known as The Jarflies, entertained the crowd during the barn bash.

Social justice, democracy and rock n’ roll — Jefferson County celebrates

2,000

Facebook friends?

Interested in using your

popularity to

further justice?

We can help. Get in touch: colette@kftc.org

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Local Updates

Madison County learns from guests, engages in annual chapter meeting

Pie. Diversity. Relationships. Students. Growth. Beards. This might not seem like typical conversation fodder for a KFTC chapter meeting, but these topics were just some of the highlights at the Madison County KFTC annual chapter meeting, held the evening of June 24.

After chapter business and snacking on tasty treats, members listened to a panel of guests from neighboring chapters discuss what they’ve been up to and what they’re excited to work on: Daniel Morgan and Leah Bayens from Wilderness Trace and Tanya Torp, Selina Finley and Isaac Benson from Central Kentucky.

Morgan and Bayens both discussed some of the enthusiasm that has grown in Wilderness Trace over the last year, sharing how chapter members met with Rep. Mike Harmon multiple times and felt that doing so was having a noticeable impact on him.

They also highlighted their recent fundraising success but weren’t shy to acknowledge their challenges, saying they want to reach out to students more and better engage people in their other chapter’s counties beyond Boyle County.

Tanya Torp of Lexington shared how excited she is about increasing KFTC’s membership and explained how she uses social media to engage people she knows.

“I look at what people online are

interested in, what sorts of things people are posting, and see how that ties in to KFTC,” said Torp. “I might invite them to my house to have a one-to-one conversation to learn more about what they care about, and then ask them to get involved.”

Throughout the evening, Torp returned to the importance of building relationships and growing KFTC’s membership as key ways to diversify and build power.

“My husband and I just bought a house, and we’re going to make it a social justice house and have a pancake breakfast every Saturday morning,” said Torp. “That’s one way to reach out to people and diversify: engage in your neighborhood.”

She also emphasized working in partnership with other organizations as another way to plug new people in to the work.

Members Selina Finley and Isaac Benson talked about central Kentucky events they’re excited about, including an event they’re planning for next February. Whiskers, Whiskey, and Women is a social bearding competition that has brought in people from all across the country in previous years.

“It’s been cool to work with KFTC on this event because we’ve been able to connect to a bigger venue, to Cricket Press, and they’ve helped us find ways

The Sanskrit Meaning of the word Yoga means union and that is exactly the intention behind the Community Slow Flow Yoga summer class series sponsored by the Central Kentucky chapter of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and Centered, a new alternative and holistic health center in Lexington. The class series is not only a union between mind and body and between KFTC and Centered, but it’s a connection between social justice and the yoga community.

The community yoga class is an opportunity to provide activists, organizers, and community members a space to practice self-care while providing a space for yoga students to become connected to the community and social justice as a way to enhance their practice.

Central Kentucky KFTC member Josh Saxton envisioned the class as an opportu-

nity to explore the concepts of internal and external justice.

“The care and protection of our inner physical, emotional, mental and psychic and spiritual environment is shown to be directly correlated to our thoughts of the outer natural environment,” said Saxton.

“By taking care of our inner landscape, we restore our harmony with the outer natural world. Our internal pollution is as dangerous to our health and wellbeing as environmental pollution. Yoga helps to balance our consciousness and bring an awareness which can be projected outwards to the greater world which we are a small part of.

More than 40 people have attended the first two classes. The classes are donationbased and students who attended the class had the option of using their class donation to pay membership dues to KFTC for the year or to renew their dues.

Central Kentucky members (left to right) Tanya Torp, Selina Finley and Isaac Benson attended the Madison County annual chapter meeting to share stories of how they are organizing in their chapter. to improve it,” said Finley.

After all the panelists had spoken, the meeting shifted into a dialogue.

Members from all three chapters were able to talk through different challenges they all face, from engaging with students to the flow of chapter meetings to diversifying their chapters. There was a

constant flow of ideas right up until the end.

In the meeting evaluation, people kept echoing how much they enjoyed having guests from neighboring chapters and that they hope this leads to more cross-chapter conversations and opportunities to learn together.

The Central Kentucky chapter has recruited more than 10 new members and talked to a roomful of people about the organization and the work we do.

Mark your calendars for the rest of the series: August 25 and September 22 Centered at 309 North Ashland Ave. Time: All classes begin at 11 a.m.

Raising Awareness on the Mat: Central Kentucky’s Community Slow Flow Yoga

Yoga Instructor, KFTC member and Centered co-owner Josh Saxton.

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Local Updates

Barn dance raised a ruckus and grassroots funds Rabbit Hash is one of the purest towns in the commonwealth that celebrates grassroots democracy. After all, the mayor is an elected Border Collie who represent the unincorporated town.

In late July, northern Kentucky KFTC members found themselves knee deep in Boone County at the Rabbit Hash General Store for a good ol’ fashioned Barn Dance.

KFTC members Dinah Devoto, Patrick Kennedy and Terrie Marksberry did most of the planning, including recruiting an incredible lineup of talented local musicians. They set the stage for what was to be a very successful grassroots fundraising night.

Kicking it off and welcoming the crowd to the barn was Devoto. Along with her bandmate Patrick Kennedy, they belted out some old-time tunes.

Known as the “Red Cedars,” they are no strangers to KFTC. They played at last year’s KFTC annual meeting, at the original Music For The Mountains, and will be appearing on the Music For The Mountains 2 to be held October 12.

Their set was full of old-time inspired songs, ranging from covers, to traditional, and to originals. They also

used part of their set as an opportunity to talk about some of the social issues that are important to them as KFTC members.

Additionally, Devoto offered a brief overview of the work members have done in northern Kentucky and across the state. She then introduced Kristi Kruer who previously played for KFTC alongside the Red Cedars at Northern Kentucky Loves Democracy this past fall, and has been a featured artist at the Covington Farmers Market, where the chapter tables weekly.

Before Ma Crow and the Lady Slippers performed, member Ben Baker made sure to thank the Rabbit Hash General Store and the performing artists, and spoke about the importance of KFTC. He encouraged everyone to take “action for justice” by visiting the KFTC booth and joining KFTC. The only all-female bluegrass band in the Cincinnati area, Ma Crow and the Lady Slippers, played for the next couple hours, and invited the Red Cedars to play alongside them for a few tunes.

These ladies were excited to lend their voices in the fight for clean water, good jobs in Appalachia and an end to mountaintop removal coal mining.

The Rabbit Hash General Store was packed with folks eager to hear good music and to learn about the work of KFTC. In fact, members of the Northern Kentucky chapter first met Ma Crow at 2010’s Music For The Mountains CD release party, and the band is again donating their talents for the Music For The Mountains 2.

The event raised more than $450 for KFTC and recruited 12 new members to join in building a more just Kentucky.

With such a great time, venue, music and mayor, the organizers are planning to host two barn dances next year.

Sustaining Givers keep KFTC percolating!

Become a Sustaining Giver or Increase Your Average Gift by 30% by August 30 and receive a New Power mug and Heine Brothers’ Mountain Dream Coffee Why invest in Kentuckians For The Commonwealth?

Your donation to KFTC supports the important work we do to build a stronger democracy, including supporting constituents in talking to their legislators, monitoring activity in Frankfort while legislators are in session, and giving members opportunities to take action on important bills.

You also support our work to educate voters about where candidates stand on the issues we all care about.

Contributions to KFTC are not tax-deductible. Make your check payable to Kentucky Coalition if you wish your contribution to be tax-deductible.

Lisa Bryant (front) and John Hennen (grill) along with other Rowan County chapter members hosted their annual fundraiser in late July, selling food as the only food vendor for the Morehead Old Time Music Festival. They sold hotdogs, hamburgers, soup beans & corn bread, veggie burritos, and some amazing Brazilian Black Bean soup. Cody Montgomery created 30 pottery bowls which sold for $10 each with a $1 discount on food. The chapter raised roughly $1,800 towards their chapter fundraising goal.

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Economic Justice Update

Proposed Farm Bill would cut nutrition benefits for families

As the Farm Bill hangs, more members speak out about SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

When Congress comes back from the August recess, they’ll have nine working days to pass a full and fair Farm Bill, the five-year bill that carries the funding and policies for food assistance programs and programs that impact farmers and agribusiness.

It’s a bill that many Kentuckians rely on, both through its implications for nutritional assistance through food stamps/EBT cards (SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and its implications for the state’s small farmers.

Because of the manufactured political grandstanding fueled by the House and Senate leaders including Sen. Mitch McConnell, there are significant doubts that Congress will pass a Farm Bill that both adequately funds nutritional programs and programs for sustainable agriculture and small-scale farming.

In early July, the House passed a version of the Farm Bill that completely excluded all nutritional programs, including SNAP.

This stripped-down bill was passed after the House did not pass another version that made deep cuts to SNAP. Some House members refused to pass those cuts, and some held that they weren’t deep enough.

The final House bill also made permanent the most expansive crop subsidies in U.S. history, major crop subsidies for cotton, corn and soybeans that would be automatically renewed, instead of going through a reauthorization process every five years. However, the programs to encourage farmers to conserve land and produce organically would still go through the reauthorization process.

Also unprecedented was the House’s move to strip nutritional programs like SNAP from the Farm Bill; linking SNAP to the Farm Bill has ensured its protection. The House sent the agriculture-only bill to the Senate, which refused to pass a Farm Bill without nutritional assistance.

So for now, the Farm Bill is stalled.

If SNAP is the main point of contention, KFTC members want to know what is so contentious about it?

SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the nation’s most

For more information, check out the following resources Coalition on Human Needs: www.chn.org Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: www.cbpp.org Community Farm Alliance: www.communityfarmalliance.org The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: www.sustainableagriculture.net

Jeanie Smith, a KFTC member in Bowling Green, is one mother who has been speaking out about the importance of SNAP, and the potential impact that it could have on families and small farmers. important anti-hunger program. In a typical month in 2011, it helped almost 45 million low-income Americans afford a nutritionally adequate diet.

SNAP benefits are set at less than $1.50 per meal per person, and this is a little higher than the usual amount because of a temporary increase that is set to expire in November.

Nearly 75 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children.

About 45 percent of the people who benefit from SNAP are children. It’s a program that keeps people from going hungry, and this is why KFTC members have been participating in national efforts to lift up the impact and the importance of SNAP. Jeanie Smith, a KFTC member in Bowling Green, is one mother who has been speaking out about the importance of SNAP, and the potential impact that it could have on families and small farmers.

Smith said that her family joined SNAP after she and her husband, Alan, moved back to Kentucky from Australia.

“We found ourselves expecting our second baby and Alan was going back to school to become a nurse, leaving him available for part-time and seasonal work only. I decided to apply for Medicaid so I could get proper prenatal care and that is when the social worker asked if I wanted to receive food stamps. Honestly, it wasn’t something I had thought about applying for, but I realized right

away that if we had this bit of help each month we could make it. So I said yes.”

Smith says it hasn’t been easy.

“One of the biggest challenges I have faced while on SNAP is to not feel ashamed every time I pull out my EBT card. You try to swipe it fast so you can put it away before anyone sees it. Or you just hope the cashier doesn’t broadcast your remaining food stamp balance, as if I don’t know it down to the cent.”

Smith also worries when she goes to the office every six months for recertification.

“I know that our situation hasn’t changed, so we should still qualify, but if something happened and we didn’t have these benefits, I don’t know what we’d do. Our entire food budget is what we receive from SNAP.”

Smith isn’t only interested in saving the program from the immediate cuts; she sees an opportunity for more education about healthy food options, and she sees the impact that SNAP could have on local economies, small farmers and families.

This summer, she has learned about the challenges and opportunities for the local farmers market to participate in a program that would allow farmers to accept EBT payments for local produce.

“I would love to see more local butchers, bakeries and farmers markets accept EBT. I believe it is best to eat locally sourced food, but as of now, I am limited to shopping at the national chain supermarkets. The best thing for me is that I

Rural Advancement Foundation International: www.rafiusa.org am allotted enough so that I can feed my family good, healthy food.”

Smith has found empowerment in speaking out about SNAP. “This spring I participated in an action to help people learn about the impact of SNAP and the ways that it should be strengthened. I knew that the people participating weren’t judging me, so I felt completely at ease discussing my situation. It felt wonderful to talk about being on SNAP. “But I’m still scared to say it to people. I see negative things people, even friends, post online about people on welfare and I just want to say, ‘Is that what you think about me?’ We just need a little help for a little while.”

Are you creative?

Interested in using

your energy to further justice?

We can help. Get in touch:

colette@kftc.org

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Voting Rights Update

The 16-month road to restoring voting rights in Kentucky

KFTC’s voting rights campaign continues to get strong, beginning to prepare for the 2014 legislative session, which starts in January.

In June, the statewide Voting Rights Coalition met in Louisville to continue mapping out a collective strategy. The room was full, with KFTC having a large presence, with a lot of excitement and energy about passing the voting rights legislation in 2014.

Lexington KFTC member Sarah Martin said, “I thought the meeting in Louisville went really well and it was great to see so many different organiza-

tions represented that are interested in this important justice work.”

The meeting focused on building statewide power and broke into small groups to develop strategy around specific key state legislators. As a result, several work teams and local coalitions emerged in different geographic areas.

“Being part of the statewide Voting Rights Coalition meeting gave me hope and practical steps to help reform voting rights in our commonwealth,” said Scott County KFTC member Rosanne Klarer. “The wide diversity and enthusiasm of this group was and

is inspiring. Because of the current voting rights suppression efforts going on nationally, there was a strong sense of urgency to press on more deliberately with our work.”

KFTC members and other allies have set-up local meetings with at least four key state senators in the next month.

“I am encouraged by the broad number of groups involved in the voting rights campaign,” said long-time KFTC member Janet Tucker. “Having local committees is also a big plus. Support for House Bill 70 is growing.”

In an attempt to share more of the stories from former felons across the Commonwealth, we’re presenting a series of short interviews every few weeks on our blog and in our newsletter.

torney in order to receive the pardon.”

Although Romines regained his voting rights he decided to fight for the rights of other former felons.

“I’m standing up for something I believe in. I’m speaking up for everyone. I’m taking adversity and making something positive of it. We should have the ability to be treated as citizens and to choose our representatives. There are close to 250,000 people who don’t have the ability to vote. It is my God-given right to put my ballot forward to choose my representatives.”

When Romines goes to Frankfort to lobby on House Bill 70, he always carries his pardon with him.

“People are surprised that I’m a former felon. It’s public record so there’s no reason to cover up parts of my life. I want to stand up and represent people without a voice.”

When asked how his family has reacted to his involvement in the Restoration of Voting Rights campaign Romines said, “My wife is supportive and knows what I went through. I encourage her to cast her ballot, but I let her make her own decisions about who to vote for.”

His father is a former Kentucky state representative. After he found out that his son didn’t have the right to vote in Kentucky he called Governor Beshear and other public officials whom he served with during his time in office and asked them to “do the right thing” and make sure House Bill 70 is passed.

In 2012 Romines ran for a city council position in Louisville. He notes that without the right to vote,

former felons can’t run for office. He says, “I would love to see more former felons run for office. When I ran for office I put my stuff out in the open.”

Romines concluded by saying, “Voting is important because it gives individuals the ability to select their representatives. It was the process I was raised in. When you can’t vote, then that’s taxation without representation. If I don’t have the ability to vote no one will listen to me. People will put up their hands and turn the other way.”

If you’re a former felon interested in being interviewed about the right to vote, or if you know someone who might be, please contact your local KFTC organizer or Tim Buckingham at 859-276-0563.

KFTC is also developing and getting ready to launch a voting rights “spokesperson” training program.

This program would take place over the course of a few weeks and help give people the tools they need to speak publicly, whether to the media or to local churches and groups, about this issue and help build public awareness.

Anyone interested in learning more or participating in the voting rights spokesperson training, contact KFTC staff person Joe Gallenstein at joe@kftc.org or 859-380-6103.

Democracy voices: Mark Romines, Jefferson County

Mark Romines is a Louisville native. He has been happily married for 32 years and has a son, two daughters and two grandchildren.

Romines has been a member of the Volunteers in Police Services program for seven years. He is a volunteer usher at the University of Louisville basketball and football games and a member of his local homeowners’ association.

Romines is also active with KFTC’s coal ash campaign. He is a carpenter by trade and served in the military. In his spare time he enjoys watching college sports and riding his motorcycle and ATV. Romines lost his right to vote in Kentucky almost 40 years ago after being convicted on a drug charge in Nebraska. At the time he was not aware that he was considered a felon. “I was placed on probation and didn’t spend any time in jail.” It wasn’t until he received a call from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms more than 20 years later asking that he surrender a hunting rifle he had recently purchased that Romines found out he was a former felon.

In 2002, Romines was granted a pardon from the governor of Nebraska and was once again able to vote in the state of Kentucky. “The process for a pardon was simpler than in Kentucky, but I was still told I would need to beg the governor, secretary of state, and county at-

Madison County members Megan Naseman and Meta Mendel-Reyes attended a public meeting in Richmond with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.

The meeting was part of a statewide conversation, sponsored by the Secretary of State’s office, concerning election laws in Kentucky. Both Naseman and MendelReyes spoke in the meeting, highlighting the need to make voter registration more accessible and the importance of restoring voting rights to former felons.

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KFTC’s 2013-2014 DRAFT Platform Proposed by the Steering Committee, July 13, 2013 For consideration by the membership at Annual Business Meeting August 18, 2013

Proposed additions are printed in BOLD CAPS. Each change will be discussed and considered at the annual meeting.

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is a statewide, grassroots, citizens organization working for a new balance of power and a just society. As we work together we build our strength, individually and as a group, and find solutions to real life problems. We use direct action to challenge — and change — unfair political, economic and social systems. Our membership is open to all people who are committed to equality, democracy and nonviolent change. KFTC’s goals of organizing are: (1) fostering democratic values, (2) changing unjust institutions, (3) empowering people and communities, (4) helping people participate, (5) overcoming racism and other discrimination, (6) communicating a message of what is possible, (7) building organizations, (8) winning issues that affect the common welfare, and (9) having fun.

We ARE WORKING to create a society which focuses on supporting the human rights of all people. We are a social justice organization. We believe that all people must be treated with respect and dignity regardless of ability, age, gender, national origin, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other defining characteristic.

WE ARE WORKING TO BUILD NEW POWER—NEW ECONOMIC, ENERGY, AND POLITICAL POWER—IN KENTUCKY AND THE NATION. NEW POWER CONSISTS OF A NEW ECONOMY, A DIVERSE HOMEGROWN ECONOMY GOOD FOR ALL PEOPLE, AN ECONOMY THAT IS JUST AND SUSTAINS WORKERS, COMMUNITIES, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. NEW POWER INCLUDES NEW ENERGY THAT IS CLEAN, RENEWABLE, AFFORDABLE, AND

GENERATES JOBS FOR OUR WORKERS. NEW POWER MEANS A NEW DEMOCRACY THAT INCLUDES, RESPECTS, AND REPRESENTS EVERYONE. -*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*-*--*-*-*WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GLOBAL CLIMATE IS CHANGING AS A RESULT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY. THE CHANGES ALREADY UNDERWAY HAVE PROFOUND EFFECTS ON OUR WEATHER, OUR WATER, OUR FOOD, OUR ECONOMY, WORLD POLITICS, AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. AND WE UNDERSTAND, IF NOT CHECKED, CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HAVE A CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE GLOBE. SPECIFICALLY: · AS KENTUCKIANS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING HERE AT HOME AND WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD TO PREVENT CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE BY WORKING FOR A JUST TRANSITION. · WE BELIEVE THAT A JUST TRANSITION IS ONE THAT CELEBRATES OUR CULTURES AND INVESTS IN COMMUNITIES AND WORKERS WHO CURRENTLY DEPEND ON THE OLD ECONOMY. Since clean air, water and land are every Kentuckian’s right, KFTC will work to protect and preserve a clean environment and TO protect HEALTH AND biodiversity by working for stronger regulations and better enforcement. Specifically:

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· We oppose the use of the mountaintop removal method of surface coal mining and valley fills that bury perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams. · We will work for a sustainable forestry products industry [non-timber and wood products] for Kentucky that relies on ecologically sound forest management and the use of Best Management Practices on public and private lands. · We will work to preserve and protect publicly owned lands and their natural resources. · We oppose on every front the rollback of the authority and funding for agencies and services that protect the environment and the rights of surface owners. · We will fight to PROTECT KENTUCKY’S PRECIOUS WATER RESOURCES INCLUDING ENSURING safe, accessible and affordable water for all Kentuckians. · We demand reasonable regulation of oil and gas drilling including protection and replacement of water and reclamation of damaged land. · WE OPPOSE FRACTURING FOR NATURAL GAS UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT IT IS PROVEN SAFE. · WE OPPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PIPELINES TO CARRY OIL, FRACKED GAS OR BY-PRODUCTS, OR TAR SANDS OIL BECAUSE OF THE PROVEN VULNERABILITY OF PIPELINES TO LEAKS AND EXPLOSIONS THAT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT RESIDENTS. · We demand full enforcement of laws and regulations related to the mining, transportation and burning of coal in order to protect water resources, prevent blasting damage, and require the reclamation of land and permitting of secondary roads used for hauling coal. · We oppose the use of dangerous coal sludge impoundments and call for the development of emergency action plans for communities living near impoundments. · We oppose the environmental and economic destruction of

balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

·

· · ·

· ·

· ·

industrial farming and its threat to clean air, clean water, rural communities, and small family farmers.

We oppose importation of all solid, hazardous and special wastes INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO FRACTURING. We promote local control over land-use decisions involving landfills, incinerators, and related facilities.

Recognizing the high costs and deadly effects of uranium mining, processing, and waste disposal, we oppose the expansion of nuclear power.

We will work to protect air quality to ensure the health and safety of Kentuckians.

We will support reducing the use of harmful pesticides AND HERBICIDES, the right of the public to know the nature of pesticides AND HERBICIDES applied, and the right of a local government to have more stringent control of pesticide AND HERBICIDE use.

We promote source reduction, recycling, strong procurement policies for recycled products and a bottle bill.

We will oppose environmental racism and classism, or the practice of locating polluting industries and waste facilities near low-income and minority communities, and in neighborhoods where people are least able to fight back.

We support strengthening present timber theft laws in Kentucky to protect forests and private property rights.

We support protection of biodiversity, including endangered species.

We will fight to protect surface owners from the abuses by extractive industries. Specifically: · We demand that the broad form deed amendment be fully enforced by all levels of government. · We support a change in property laws so that a minority owner of an undivided interest cannot allow the sale, leasing or mining of land or minerals against the wishes of the majority of owners. · We demand that oil and gas operators have permission of surface owners before they drill. · We support the property rights of all landowners and will work to ensure these rights are exercised responsibly and equitably so as not to unfairly compromise the interests of the public, the environment, or surrounding property owners.

We will work to empower voters and expand authentic, democratic participation that makes government open, honest, and responsive to the needs of the people. Specifically:

Annual meeting checklist

The Letcher County chapter recently celebrated the opening of a brand new library in Neon, with a tour and potluck in the community room. The library was designed by architect and long-time KFTC member Bill Richardson.

If you’re planning to come … √ Register as soon as possible using the form above or online at www.kftc.org.

Don't forget to send in your registration fee in the amount you feel you can afford. √ Ask other KFTC members and non-members to come. Offer them a ride or try to carpool. √ Get excited. You’re going to have a great time.

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· We will fight to protect the local control of solid waste management and siting, and support strong host agreements before permits are issued by the state. · We will work to strengthen and enforce ethics codes for elected and appointed officials. · We support an amendment to the US Constitution making it clear that corporations are not people and money is not speech.

Furthermore, we will work to eliminate the connections between money in political campaigns and governments that are nonresponsive to the people. · We support campaign spending limits and public financing of elections to reduce the amount spent on elections and the power of big money contributors. · We will work to make state and local economic development authorities accountable to the people. · We demand easy access and an end to the bureaucratic procedures necessary to obtain open records in Kentucky. · We support equitable access to state funds for roads and public transit. · We support local communities’ cooperation on common issues. · We oppose closed-door meetings and decision making not open to the public. · We support restoring voting rights to former felons. We support programs that promote the positive re-entry of former felons into our communities.

We will fight to create a just economy that sustains communities, families and individuals, promotes health and protects resources for the future.

Specifically: · We will work with all interested parties, including recipients, to develop a welfare system that benefits the community as a whole, provides a safety net, helps people move forward, and treats people fairly and with dignity. · We will work for an economic development process that is open, sustainable, supportive of local economies, and sees that companies receiving public money for job creation provide training, safe working conditions, health benefits and a living wage and transition away from a fossil fuel extraction industry.

KFTC does not support prison expansion as a means of economic development. · We support public policies and utility programs that minimize utility customer shutoffs due to inability to pay and we will work to eliminate customer shutoffs during extreme weather conditions and medical emergencies. We support energy conservation programs, the implementation of percentage of income payment plans and fair access to utility services including local gas hookups. · We support policies aimed at significantly increasing the development of energy conservation, energy efficiency, and clean renewable energy sources in Kentucky, ultimately leading toward climate neutrality. · We seek energy policies that promote the development of community-scale, locally owned renewable energy sources, create local jobs, and help low-wealth households, enterprises,

· · ·

· · · · · · ·

and communities to access energy efficiency measures and clean energy solutions.

We support funding effective and efficient community services through an equitable, fair, and progressive tax structure.

We support the continued fair taxation of unmined minerals.

We support the collection of coal severance taxes on every ton of coal mined and demand an increasing return of severance tax funds to promote sustainable economic development in coalfield counties; we further support at least one-percent of coal severance taxes collected be put in a permanent trust fund that will be used by and for the communities where the coal was extracted for the purpose of creating a more diverse and sustainable economy; we call for an increase in the severance tax rate and the creation of a community-based process to determine how funds are spent.

We call for a system of high quality public education, including pre-school through higher education that is accessible and affordable for all Kentuckians.

We support policies that are in favor of reducing the economic burden of higher education.

We object to the dominance of corporate interests in the decisionmaking, values and priorities of our public universities.

We support economic reform through the use and support of sustainable agriculture.

We support affordable access to nutritious and healthful foods for all people.

We demand quality, affordable and preventative health care, including reproductive health, for all Kentuckians, and support a single payer health care system.

We support a comprehensive approach — and investments — that recognize good health is determined by a wide range of social and economic factors such as education, social welfare, housing, income, and environmental conditions, as well as traditional health

Fifteen KFTC members from the Wilderness Trace chapter and nearby counties came out for a Sustainable Energy workshop in Danville on July 27. Participants learned about the possibilities for renewable energy in Kentucky, what they could do to support its growth, and began planning follow-up workshops to delve deeper into this work.

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factors. · We support the right to a living wage for all Kentuckians. We oppose wage discrimination based on gender, race, ability, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, or any other defining characteristic. · We oppose exploitation of labor and unjust international trade programs and demand an end to the use and sale of sweatshopmade products. · We call for a new system for the transportation of coal that makes possible better pay for truckers, shared company accountability for safety violations and road damage, safe roads and safe mining communities, and reduced weight limits for coal trucks. · We support the right of workers to organize and the right to collective bargaining. · We support quality, affordable, accessible housing and demand just housing policies that protect the rights of renters to be treated fairly. · We demand enactment and enforcement of occupational health and safety laws that protect all workers in Kentucky, especially workers in occupations that continue to suffer high rates of preventable work-related death, disability, and illness such as coal miners, coal truckers, and other coal industry workers. · We support fair and equitable lending practices. · We support adequate, affordable, and energy efficient public transportation on a statewide basis, and we demand infrastructure planning that supports alternative modes of public transportation such as biking and walking. · We support fair and equitable access to information systems for all people. · WE SUPPORT LOCAL AND STATEWIDE POLICIES TO ENSURE SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACES. · WE SUPPORT POLICIES THAT ENABLE PEOPLE TO LIVE SAFELY AND WELL IN THEIR HOMES AND PROVIDE GOOD ALTERNATIVES TO NURSING HOME CARE. We will fight to create a fair and just society that respects human and civil rights, uplifts all people to their potential, and values the participation of everyone. Specifically:

www.kftc.org/annual-meeting

balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

· We support affirmative action programs that guarantee equal rights for all people. · We oppose all forms of racism and work to eliminate it from our society and from within our organization. · We condemn and oppose oppression and harassment of all people by public or private individuals or institutions based on ability, age, gender, national origin, citizenship, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, or any other defining characteristic. · We will work toward a more fair justice system not mired in discrimination based on ability, age, gender, national origin, citizenship, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, or any other defining characteristic. · We support the right of residents who are undocumented to be treated with the respect and dignity that all human beings are entitled to. We also support open pathways to citizenship for youth who are undocumented. · We oppose the inappropriate use of police powers to address problems, the expansion and privatization of the prison system, and the use of excessive force by police. We do support full funding of public defenders IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE DILIGENT AND COMPETENT REPRESENTATION BY THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS. · We support a transition from our current punitive justice system to a more restorative system that honors the inherent dignity of all individuals. · We support the abolition of the death penalty. · WITH FARMERS, HORSE OWNERS, PET OWNERS AND A DIVERSE ARRAY OF WILDLIFE, KENTUCKY IS A STATE THAT VALUES ANIMALS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR LIVES, OUR ECONOMY, AND OUR WELL-BEING. IT IS ALSO A STATE WITH SOME OF THE WEAKEST LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT RELATED TO ANIMAL CRUELTY. WE SUPPORT SENSIBLE LOCAL AND STATE INITIATIVES THAT WOULD PREVENT THE ABUSE OF ANIMALS.

for schedule, travel directions, online payment, speaker bios, and much more!

General Butler State Park: Located in Carrollton KY, General Butler will be the site for our 2013 Annual Membership Meeting.

This new location and date allow us to expand our annual meeting to more members across the state. We all love Jabez, but we have outgrown the meeting space the last few years. General Butler offers us the conference space needed but also the accommodations needed to house so many great Kentuckians.

New for 2013: You can choose to stay in the lodge, a cabin or camp on your own. Additionally, there will be plenty of activities during free time. Please plan accordingly and bring flashlights, swim suits, etc as you see fit.

Distance (from KFTC offices and chapters): Bowling Green: 160 miles 2 hrs 33 mins travel time Louisville: 50 miles 50 mins travel time Prestonsburg: 181 miles 3 hrs 12 mins travel time Covington: 53 miles 55 mins travel time Harlan: 217 miles 3 hrs 45 mins travel time Lexington: 66 miles 90 mins travel time Whitesburg: 210 miles 3 hrs 51 mins travel time Morehead: 129 miles 2 hrs 15 mins travel time

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Annual Meeting Registration Form or register online at www.kftc.org/annual-meeting

Name(s) Name(s) Address Phone Email Please specify your needs below.

Lodging __ Friday night (8/16)

__ Saturday night (8/17)

Lodging Preference (please note we’ll try to accommodate your preference ): __ Guest room in the lodge __ Cabin (Notes: Cabins are located slightly farther away from the conference center where the annual meting will be taking place and would require a short drive between the two. Cabins have either one, two, or three bedrooms, with each cabin having one bathroom and one full-size bed in each bedroom.)

Camping is an option this year! General Butler has a nice campground with a couple bath houses. However, campers will need to make their own campsite reservations.

__Yes, I’ll be making my own campsite reservations.

(ReserveAmerica.com) Saturday Meals

__ Breakfast __ Lunch

Sunday Meals

__ Breakfast

__ Evening Banquet

Do you have any special dietary needs?

Please specify Do you need a room equipped for physical disabilities?

Please specify 2-4 people will share each room.

Do you have a preferred roommate(s)?

Please specify Will you need child care? __ Yes __ No # of children ___ Ages__ Please let us know if you are willing to help out by: Is this your first time attending KFTC’s Annual Meeting?

Bringing items (including crafts) for a silent auction Participating in the cultural sharing and talent show on Saturday Night Transportation: I can drive myself

I can offer a ride

I need a ride

Suggested Donation: The cost for the weekend is $100 per adult ($60 if camping), which includes two nights lodging, four meals, meeting costs and child care, if needed. (Costs can be adjusted if you attend only part of the meeting. If $100 is beyond your budget, please contribute what you can).

Don’t let cost keep you from attending!

I have enclosed $______ for my registration.

The Jefferson County KFTC Office has moved!

The new beautiful office is now located at 735 Lampton St Suite 202 in Smoketown. The building is on the corner of Shelby and Lampton Streets in the Smoketown Neighborhood. To stop by, find our buzzer on the Lampton Street side of the building and buzz us up on the 2nd floor. Smoketown is a historic neighborhood of Louisville. It’s name “Smoketown” reportedly comes from the large number of kilns that were in the area when the neighborhood was known for brick making. The office number remains the same: 502-589-3188.

I cannot attend but am sending $______ so that someone else can.

Please make check or money order payable to KFTC and mail with this registration form to: P.O. Box 1450, London, Kentucky 40743

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KFTC Annual Membership Meeting program

Friday, August 16: Registration Opens 4 p.m.

Sunday, August 18

7:30 p.m.

Opening and Keynote Address

9 a.m.

9 p.m.

Evening Square Dance & Fun

Sunday Morning Workshops • Art and Activism — Join us at this workshop to learn how to use art and culture to bring about social change.

• Fundraising 101 — Raising money is a key to building power within in KFTC. And it isn’t as hard as many think.

Learn simple, easy to plan fundraising ideas that you can bring back to your local chapter or community.

• Regional Movement Building — There is an excitement configuration of groups and individuals organizing in the region for increased civic engagement and social change.

Learn a bit more about the work and how you might get involved.

• Everyday Democracy — We all know that democracy is more than just on election day. What can we do everyday to make sure that we are helping to build an authentic, participatory democracy in our state.

• Citizen Lobbying — Citizens talking to their elected officials is a powerful way to increase democracy and civic participation in Kentucky. Learn tools and tricks for lobbying – from city council members to state lawmakers and everywhere in between!

• Voter Empowerment — Elections aren’t the only time that democracy is important, but they are certainly a really important piece of the puzzle. Learn how to identify and activate more local residents as new power voters in your community.

10:45 a.m.

Business Meeting The business meeting is the heart of KFTC’s own democratic structure.

Saturday, August 17 9 a.m.

Opening

9:45 a.m.

Strengthening Democracy: Join us for a morning focused on exploring the national landscape around grassroots democracy and what groups in other states are doing to build more civic engagement.

2 p.m.

Workshops • Campaign Finance Reform — A look at how campaigns are funded, the impact it makes on our democracy, and an exploration of the current proposals for reforming campaign finance in Kentucky and the U.S. • Economic Democracy — Learn more about models for work cooperatives, what are they and how can we make them work here.

• KFTC 101 — New to KFTC or just want to learn about who we are and how we work, then join us at this great introduction session to get a friendly overview about grassroots organizing and the issues we work on.

• Media and Democracy ­— Democracy can only thrive in an environment where citizens have access to truthful and thorough information. How we get our news is a key piece of a strong democracy. Learn about media ownership and the latest attempts to consolidate media ownership and what we can do about it.

•Democracy for all: Immigration Rights — Join us at this workshop to learn more about the issue of immigration in America and in Kentucky, learn more about comprehensive immigration reform, and how we can support immigrant rights in our own communities.

• Voting as a key to Democracy — Join us at this workshop to go in-depth about the issue of voting in America. What is going on nationally around trying to suppress the vote? What could we do to engage new voters in the process? What are the laws around voter registration and how can I work locally to help more people to vote.

• Youth Workshop — Young people attending the annual meeting are invited to attend their own workshop that will be on a topic related to social and environmental justice.

7 p.m.

Dinner & Awards Ceremony

8:30 p.m.

Evening Entertainment & Cultural Sharing

Goodbye Dave Newton

Over the years Dave Newton became the face that many people in central Kentucky associated with KFTC. With his ever present green KFTC shirt and clipboard in hand, Dave worked tirelessly to register voters, recruit new members, create and advance KFTC’s voting rights campaign, and to be a responsible and productive ally.

Dave has packed up from his Lexington home and along side his partner Caitlin, and their numerous cats, they have crossed the country to build a new life in Oakland California.

Dave’s hard work will continue to have a long impact on Kentucky. Thanks Dave for all your passion and energy for Democracy.

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Steering Committee nominates an experienced, diverse group KFTC Executive Committee and Kentucky Coalition board to be selected at annual meeting

The Steering Committee acknowledged the dedicated service of KFTC’s hardworking statewide officers, and has recommended a diverse set of community leaders to serve in those positions for the coming year.

The proposed slate includes Sue Tallichet as chairperson, Dana Beasley Brown as vice-chair, Megan Naseman as secretary-treasurer, and Carl Shoupe as the at-large representative. If Tallichet is elected as chairperson, Steve Boyce would continue in the position of immediate past chairperson.

This slate, based on a recommendation from the Leadership Development Committee, which was approved by the Steering Committee, will go before a vote of the full membership in attendance at the Annual Business Meeting on August 18. Other nominations may be made from the floor at that time.

Together, KFTC’s five statewide officers make up the organization’s Executive Committee. KFTC’s officers are elected for one-year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive years in the same position.

Below is some information about the nominees: Chairperson: Sue Tallichet is an active member of the Rowan County chapter and KFTC Land Reform Committee and Litigation Team. She has also served for a number of years on KFTC’s Steering Committee, and is the current chair. She is a brave and effective spokesperson about mountaintop removal mining and its impacts on land, water and people. She is also the author of a book called Daughters of the Mountain: Women Coal Miners in Central Appalachia.

Vice-Chairperson: Dana Beasley Brown was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Bowling Green KFTC Chapter.

She serves on KFTC’s Steering Committee as vice-chair and the Economic Justice Committee, and is deeply involved in local efforts to improve the quality and affordability of housing in her community.

Dana has spoken before several legislative committees and has been a guest on the KET program Kentucky Tonight about the need for fair tax reforms.

Secretary-Treasurer: Megan Naseman lives in Berea. As a college student, she was captivated by KFTC while working with Bev May to protect her hollow in Floyd County. After graduating from Berea College, Megan thought she might be bound for the west coast; but at the end of one year in Seattle, she heard this Bluegrass State calling her back to what is now her home. Besides working with KFTC, she finds great joy in baking pies, hiking, playing banjo and singing with the band Sugar Tree.

At-Large: Carl Shoupe is a long-time member from Harlan County who has served several years on the KFTC Steering Committee. He is a former miner, mine worker organizer and Vietnam veteran. He was a major part of the planning for the Appalachia’s Bright Future conference and is actively involved in organizing projects to follow-up on the ideas and momentum from that event.

Immediate Past Chairperson: Steve Boyce is an active member of the Madison County chapter. He has served in many leadership roles, including as Steering Committee Representative and four years on the KFTC Executive Committee. He has provided leadership as a member and chairperson of KFTC’s Finance Committee, as well as a member of the Economic Justice Committee. Steve has provided testimony about fair taxation before the Kentucky House Appropriations and Revenue Committee and was appointed to the citizens’ advisory board of the Berea Municipal Utility.

He retired from the faculty of Berea College.

Kentucky Coalition Board members

During the August 18 Annual Business Meeting, KFTC members will also have the opportunity to vote on three members to serve on the board of the Kentucky Coalition. Kentucky Coalition is a tax-exempt affiliate organization to KFTC that supports leadership development, research and public education about important policy issues, and civic participation. The coalition’s board is comprised of the five statewide officers of KFTC, plus an additional three individuals who are elected by KFTC’s membership. The Steering Committee has nominated the following individuals to serve next year on the KC board: Doug Doerrfeld: Doug is an active member of the Rowan County chapter. He is a past chairperson of KFTC. He is co-chair of the Land Reform Committee and serves on the Litigation Team.

Mary Love: Mary is a long-time member from Jefferson County who represented her chapter for several years on the KFTC Steering Committee. She formerly served as a Presbyterian minister. She is co-chair of the Land Reform Committee and an active member of numerous other KFTC committees, including Leadership Development, Litigation, and New Energy and Transition.

Homer White: Homer is a long-time KFTC member who has served on the Steering Committee at various times for the Pike County chapter (long ago) and later the Scott County chapter. He is a math professor at Georgetown College. He serves on the Economic Justice Committee and has been a stalwart leader in the Scott County chapter on issues campaigns related to Fairness, non-discrimination, voting rights, recycling, and tax reform, to name a few.

Goodbye Kristi Kendall

Kristi Kendall, who organized out of Floyd County, has left KFTC’s staff. She has been an invaluable asset to KFTC. Her work on the Voting Rights campaign, on water testing, to help grow the Floyd County Chapter, and to deepen the organizing through the Growing Appalachia Conference has been tremendous, and her KFTC family is going to miss her.

She’s looking forward to getting involved again as a member, and in the meantime she’s growing a beautiful garden and selling her bumper crops of tomatoes, herbs, and peppers at the Floyd County Farmers’ Market.

We wish Kristi the best and can’t wait to pick up some produce and see her energizing smile we all love.

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Canary Project Update

Water testing workshops continue to build the case for clean water

Over the past two months, members from eastern Kentucky have gathered for workshops in Harlan and Floyd counties where they learned the basics of water testing, gained hands-on experience by testing water in nearby streams, and learned how the community’s health is tied the health of the water.

These workshops are part of the ongoing Community Science and Public Health Project, which works to equip people with the skills and knowledge to gather data about the quality of their streams and to use that data to advocate for better enforcement of current laws designed to protect our land and water.

Participants learned about conductivity – what it is, why it is important, and how it is measured. Conductivity is the measure of the ability of water to conduct an electrical current and is a good indicator of a stream’s overall health.

Common chemicals in water that conduct electrical current and cause conductivity levels to increase include ions of sodium, chloride, phosphate, nitrate, iron, sulfate, aluminum, calcium, and magnesium.

In the central Appalachian region, these chemicals make their way into streams most often when naturally occurring heavy metals in mountain seams are exposed through mountaintop removal coal mining and major road construction projects.

Conductivity is measured in units called microseimens (μS). The higher the level of conductivity, the less suitable the stream becomes for aquatic life. In central Appalachia, healthy streams generally have a conductivity level around 200 μS. After reviewing the basics of water testing, participants broke into groups and headed out into the field and put what they learned into action. In Floyd County, participants tested the conductivity of the Left Fork of Middle Fork and several of its tributaries at more than 20 different locations. The lowest conductivity reading was 139 μS, which was taken along Jim Potter Branch off Route 122. The highest conductivity reading was 1,100 μS, which was along Open Fork Road off Route 850.

The readings from Open Fork Road present an interesting study. Conductivity readings were taken from three different spots along Open Fork Road – one at the mouth of the hollow, one mid-way

and one closer to the head of the hollow.

These readings were 822 μS, 844 μS, and 1100 μS, respectively. Currently, there is no active mining near Open Fork Road.

However, there had been in the past.

Conversely, the lowest readings taken were off Route 122, which appears to have not been mined.

At the workshop in Harlan County, participants recorded similar results.

Testing was done at more than 20 locations along Catrons Creek, where dozens of dead fish were found recently.

Closer to the mouth of the creek, conductivity was 777 μS, while near the head of the hollow, where there is active mining, conductivity was 835 μS. The lowest reading was 173 μS, which was from a small tributary that flowed down from an undisturbed mountain into Catrons Creek.

Concerned about the health of water and its inhabitants, Larry Ison a retired miner from Letcher County, said, “I been fishing since I was a boy out of the Cumberland River. I ate the fish all my life until a couple years ago I saw a small pink dot in a fish I was cleaning. A veterinarian told me later it sounded like a tapeworm. I ain’t ate fish from the river since, and I’d just like to figure out what I’m dealing with here. They are stripping and building a road right in front of my home, along the river.”

At the Floyd County workshop, member Beverly May lead a discussion on how our health is tied to the health of

our water and land.

Recent peer-reviewed studies have shown that people living near mountaintop removal mining have higher rates of cancer and birth defects. May highlighted a recent health study by Dr. Michael Hendryx about which found that residents of Floyd County, Kentucky had higher rates of cancer deaths, life-long asthma and hypertension than people living in other eastern Kentucky counties without a history of strip mining.

Through the hands-on community water testing workshops and the Community Science and Public Health Project, participants not only are learning how to test water and the importance of clean water, they also are building community with each other and their community.

“We all deserve to know what’s in our water,” said Clair Stines, a Harlan County chapter member and retired nurse from Loyall. “We’ve got to be talking to each other about our water and communities. We’ve got to be solving our problems together and sharing information.”

If you have concerns about the quality of water in your area and would like to get involved, the next water testing workshop will be Saturday, September 7 in Letcher County (location to be determined). These events are free and open to the public. All skill and interest levels are encouraged to attend. Registration is encouraged but not required.

To register for the September 7 workshop or for more information, please visit www.kftc.org/water.

If you are unable to come to either workshop, or have questions, please contact Jessie Skaggs at jessie@kftc.org or 502-387-9616.

Participants are taught how to use a conductivity meter in the classroom and then sent out into the field to collect data within the community. This data is then uploaded to a publicly accessible community water testing website.

Feeding the Neighborhood?

Interested in adding a little justice to

your recipe?

We can help. Get in touch:

colette@kftc.org Calebe Rice tested conductivity near head of Jim Potter Branch in Floyd County.

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Canary Project Update

Favorable ruling, new motions keep legal cases moving

The KFTC Litigation Team and allies have been busy working toward the goals of safe water and healthy communities on a variety of legal fronts. Here is a summary of recent activity: Clean Water Act case

Franklin Circuit Judge Philip Shepherd denied a request by the Beshear administration to dismiss a lawsuit challenging its Agreed Order with Frasure Creek Mining, purported to resolve thousands of Clean Water Act violations. Even though Appalachian Voices, Kentucky Riverkeeper, the Waterkeeper Alliance, KFTC and several individuals are full intervening parties in the administrative enforcement case, Energy Cabinet Secretary Len Peters excluded the intervenors from negotiations with Frasure Creek, in violation of the law.

The groups believe the Agreed Order does little to protect people and water in areas where Frasure Creek has its operations, and provides no incentive to prevent future violations.

Shepherd’s order means there can be a hearing on the claims in the lawsuit and request that the order be vacated.

A similar case involving an additional thousands of Clean Water Act violations

by Frasure Creek in different years also is before Judge Shepherd.

Human health impacts

Lawyers for KFTC and the Sierra Club filed additional briefs and motions in a federal lawsuit challenging a water pollution permit issued to Leeco mining by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The permit would allow Leeco to destroy more than three miles of streams

Community Organizer Training August 23th-25th

What is The Alliance for Appalachia?

The Alliance for Appalachia is a coalition of 13 grassroots group and allies across the Appalachian region working to end mountaintop removal and other coal industry abuses and build a just and sustainable Appalachia.

Who is this training for?

This training is for anyone who is a new community organizer in Appalachia or who is interested in organizing in Appalachia in their community. By organizing, we mean a process of fostering relationships with nearby citizens to come together and work together to make change.

What will I learn?

How to choose and frame an issue in your community. How to identify decision makers. What we call “Targeting and Power Mapping.” How to recruit others and build your shared skills. How to host an effective meeting. How to share your story. How to make a message and interact with the media. How to choose and implement the tactics your group needs to win. How to handle conflict in a group.

Why is The Alliance for Appalachia Hosting this Training Now? The history and tradition of organizing is deep in our mountains: Union struggles for safe working conditions and fair pay, victories for black lung benefits, school reform, wins to eliminate the broad form deed.

We know we must organize to make positive change in our communities. To organize, we know we must support organizers in developing the skills that will allow them to be effective in their work. In a stymied political climate and with low-income and environmental health concerns absent from the national conversation, we know building a strong local base on our key issues is timely, just and strategic.

How can I attend?

Apply here: www.theallianceforappalachia.org We have a limited number of slots available for this event and not all of those that apply will be able to attend. Scholarships are available.

For more information, contact Katey Lauer at Katey.Lauer@ TheAllianceforAppalachia.org or 304-546-8473.

under valley fills in the Stacy Branch and Yellow Creek (of Carr Creek) communities in Knott and Perry counties.

Filed last fall, the lawsuit points out that the Corps violated the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act when issuing the permit by failing to consider the impacts of the mining operation on human health.

Those claims were briefed earlier this year.

An additional brief filed in July supports the claim that there is insufficient support for the Corps’ determination

that an off-site mitigation project and payment of fees to a state program will compensate for damages in the affected communities. Additionally, the Corps’ determination that downstream waters will not be degraded by conductivity is flawed.

The Clean Water Act prohibits discharges that significantly degrade water quality or damage the ecosystem functions that waters provide. The Corps does not dispute that this project will significantly degrade waters at the mine site, but issued a permit anyway.

Institutionalized poisoning of Kentucky’s waterways Uncontrolled discharges of toxic metals from coal-burning power plants into Kentucky waterways are a major threat to people living near these plants and downstream, according to a major new report documenting pollution from such plants.

Of 20 water pollutions permits examined for coal plants in Kentucky, none set limits for toxics most commonly found in such discharges, including arsenic, boron, cadmium, lead, mercury and selenium.

Seventeen of those 20 power plants are operating with expired permits.

Those were among the findings in the report Closing the Floodgates: How the coal industry is poisoning our water and how we can stop it released by the Environmental Integrity Project and other national organizations.

The report puts the blame on both the utilities that are knowingly putting these toxics into our water, and state and federal officials who issue permits without limitations on these pollutants.

An official with the Kentucky Division of Water told Erica Peterson with WFPL-FM in Louisville that the pollution permits are “administratively continued” if they expire before a renewal is issued.

One of those permits – for East Kentucky Power Cooperative’s Spurlock plant in Mason County – expired more than nine years ago.

On the national level, the report found that based on toxicity, the nation’s coal-burning power plants are the largest source of toxic water pollution in the United States, dumping more toxics into our waters than the other top nine polluting industries combined.

These toxic metals do not degrade over time and many bio-accumulate, increasing in concentration as they travel up the food chain, ultimately collecting in human tissue.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly 140,000 people per year experience increased cancer risk due to arsenic in fish from coal plants; that nearly 13,000 children under the age of seven each year have re­duced IQs because of lead in fish they eat; and that almost 2,000 children are born with lower IQs because of mercury in fish their mothers have eaten.

Existing national standards meant to control coal plant water pollution are 31 years old and fail to set any limits on many dangerous pollutants. Recently, the EPA proposed to update these outdated standards, in order to curb discharges of arsenic, boron, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, and other heavy metals from coal plants. The White House was accused of weakening those proposals before their release.

The EPA is accepting public comments until September 20.

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

New Energy and Transition Update

The Clean Energy Collaborative passes exciting recommendations

The main goal of the Clean Energy Collaborative is to review and recommend energy efficiency and renewable energy options to the East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC). KFTC is a founding member the collaborative along with EKPC, 16 local electric coops, and several allies.

The collaborative was established as a part of the process that halted the proposed Smith coal-burning power plant in Clark County three years ago.

On June 22, the collaborative made some exciting progress by passing a set of recommendations to EKPC’s management. After coming to consensus, members of the collaborative recommend that EKPC:

● build a small solar farm!

Shelby County chapter members are organizing to pass a Members’ Bill of Rights in the Shelby Energy Cooperative.

They are actively gathering signatures for a petition to submit before the board during a meeting this fall. They hope to have hundreds of signatures calling for open meetings, open records, and open and fair elections.

Currently members don’t have full access to board meetings or co-op records, and importantly, the elections are currently run in such a way that hugely favors incumbent board members. Proxy voting is allowed, one of the biggest obstacles to true democratic elections in the co-ops.

As member-owners of their co-op, the Shelby County KFTC members are working to bring the co-op back to their stated principle of “Democratic Member Control.”

This summer they have jumped in with a direct mail and phone bank-

ing strategy. They have sent nearly 800 postcards to co-op members in Shelby County and are calling each of these members to encourage them to sign the petition.

Even just two days into the work,

● expand its Envirowatts program (which currently sells power generated from landfill gas) to include solar, wind and hydro electric!

● support the local co-ops that want to start Energy Ambassador programs – such as training members to go doorto-door and talk neighbor-to-neighbor about energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

● partner with groups like KFTC, as well other utilities, and agencies to better get the word out to increase participation in their energy efficiency programs.

Other interesting and positive things the collaborative included in their recommendations were that EKPC:

that will make EKPC and the co-ops more able to offer energy efficiency and demand-side management programs.

● research the potential for in-state,

● support those co-ops that offer the

low-impact hydroelectric generation, as well as purchasing low-cost out-of-state wind power.

● provide members and the general

How$martKY on-bill financing program by providing marketing and advertising.

● work to develop a new rate strategy

KFTC member Tona Barkley is the vicechair of the collaborative and Steve Wilkins is KFTC’s representative. They have dedicated significant amounts of their retirements toward moving this recommendation process forward. Due to their work and that of countless others, Kentucky’s energy mix will become a little cleaner in the future.

they’re already having good conversations with new folks who support bring more democracy back to the co-ops.

Members are asking others to share this campaign with anyone they know in Shelby, Henry and Trimble counties,

including asking folks to “like” and spread the word on Facebook.

Read the full petition, learn more and find a link to the campaign’s Facebook page at www.renewshelbyenergy. org.

public with interactive informational materials and activities to familiarize solar technology and its benefits.

● site the 25-30 kilowatt solar farm with the consideration of increasing publicity and interest in participation.

RENEW Shelby Energy: Members organize for democracy

Hey YouTube star Interested in using your media savvy

to further justice?

We can help. Get in touch: colette@kftc.org

����� Shelby Energy

We are Shelby Energy Rural Electric Co-op members, like you, and we are working to make our electric cooperative better.

We want:

• Open & fair elections • Open board meetings • Open records Will you join us?

Learn more at www.renewshelbyenergy.org

balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

New Energy and Transition Update

Page 21

KFTC participates in Our Power Camp on Navajo Reservation

“To create the future we want to see, it will take different and new power: new economic power and new political power. It will take all of our power for a just transition to happen,” said Elizabeth Sanders, a KFTC member and steering committee representative from Letcher County speaking on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona in June.

Sanders along with Madison County member Carey Henson and KFTC staff person Sara Pennington attended “Our Power Camp” held on the Black Mesa Reservation and hosted by the Black Mesa Water Coalition as part of the Climate Justice Alliance.

The three camped in the high desert on the homestead of a Navajo family, along with around 100 other folks from across the country, to learn and share about how grassroots groups are working toward a just economic transition away from extreme and polluting forms of energy, toward a future that is sustainable, healthy and good for all people.

The Climate Justice Alliance is a newly formed network of grassroots groups across the country, including KFTC and nearly 40 other organizations rooted in Indigenous, African American, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, and working-class white communities throughout the United States.

At the camp, participants shared stories and strategies for stopping the destruction caused by extreme forms of energy, work to oppose false solutions that are often passed off as transition, as well as work to build local just transitions.

Henson, Sanders and Pennington shared the work happening in Kentucky to build a bright future in Appalachia.

One of the most striking realizations for Henson was how “water is an underlying issue, whether it’s in the desert or the mountains.”

Camping in the desert for four days, in an area where all local people must truck in their own water every day, made this issue very real and concrete for the group.

All the workshops were held in the open air, under shade tents, with participants’ feet always touching the dusty desert earth. Working together and learning in such an atmosphere helped build solidarity and deeper understanding with the work of the Black Mesa Water Coalition in a way that no sterile hotel conference room meeting could.

The KFTC members deeply appreciated Black Mesa Water Coalition both as hosts of the event and as an inspiration because of their dedicated work on a just transition.

The group learned about the Navajo Generating Station power plant that has depleted the Navajo Aquifer, severely impacted the land base and adversely affected community health.

The Black Mesa Water Coalition is proposing Navajo-owned utility scale solar projects and fostering local, sustainable landbased economies. According to their studies, there are enough old mine lands and good sun on the Navajo Nation to generate more than 6,000 megawatts of solar power in the years to come and thousands of jobs.

At the completion of the camp, Henson and Pennington joined Black Mesa Water coalition in a direct action in Phoenix. Navajo men and women risked arrest to pump water from the canal that runs through the city using

solar power that the group brought in on a trailer.

Ally groups held a rally down the street to highlight the fact that it is possible to have “power without pollution, energy without injustice.” The action was successful; the group was able to pump water into a tank to take back to the reservation five hours away. Several media outlets reported on the issue, and no one was arrested.

In reflecting on the camp and the action, Henson said that she realized more

deeply that, “environmental injustices are brought on poor people disproportionately.”

Together, the group is looking toward the future and what role KFTC might play in helping to build a movement toward climate justice through local action. Sanders wants KFTC to continue to consider “how to show real solidarity, in more tangible ways, in being an ally. What can we do beyond just mentioning [these groups we’ve met] in a speech, or just sharing the stories? What can we do?”

A minimum wage worker whose job was across the river would have to work 69 hours to pay the tolls on new bridges being built in Louisville.

For that reason, KFTC stood with many other groups, state legislators and individuals in support of mechanisms to lessen or eliminate this additional cost on workers who can least afford it.

“Poverty wage workers shouldn’t have their paychecks stretched even further simply to be able to get to work,” said Rep. Mary Lou Marzian at a press conference organized by Rep. Jim Wayne.

The loss of $50 a month “will make putting food on the table or keeping the lights on even more difficult” for many, added Rev. John Burke.

Two new and controversial bridges are being built, one in downtown Louisville and the second eight miles upstream. In addition, an existing down-

town bridge will be “re-purposed” as part of the project. All three will have tolls of $1 per trip for frequent travelers (at least 20 crossings per month) and $2 for less frequent trips. All tolls will be collected electronically.

Thousands of workers travel across existing bridges everyday from southern Indiana to get to work in Louisville, or vice versa. For full-time workers, tolls could be $500 a year.

Legislators speaking at the press conference pointed out that this funding scheme for the bridges is regressive, meaning the cost would be borne disproportionately (taking a higher percentage of their income) by lower income commuters.

“The impact is disproportionate,” said Sen. Gerald Neal. “I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think it’s reasonable to impose tolls on the working poor who cannot shoulder additional burdens.”

As required by federal law, the Kentucky and Indiana transportation cabinets studied the impact of the tolls on lower income commuters. Although they recommended some ways to make it easier for people to pay the tolls, they did not offer any solutions for reducing or eliminating tolls for those who cannot afford them.

Rep. Joni Jenkins pointed to one solution – legislation that would give a state tax credit for tolls paid to for low-wage workers (defined as anyone who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit).

The KFTC Executive Committee endorsed such a bill introduced by Rep. Wayne in the 2013 General Assembly.

This bill – which does not eliminate payment of the tolls but a way to recoup the cost – did not receive a hearing or vote.

Legislators also called for improved public transportation.

Bridge toll would adversely impact low income

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Grassroots organizing creating stiff resistance to pipeline

Kentuckians along the path of the proposed Bluegrass Pipeline and throughout the state are coordinating efforts to protect Kentucky’s land, water and people from this new threat.

They are concerned about damage to water resources (most of the route is along a high-karst area), loss of property value, loss of the use of their land, leaks and explosions (the company has a poor safety record), and the disruption to their farm operations and rural quality of life.

And they are disturbed by the company’s

misinformation and threats to use eminent domain to take easements, and the hiring of the law firm where the governor’s son works.

The Bluegrass Pipeline is a joint venture of two energy companies – Williams and Boardwalk Pipeline Partners. The pipeline would carry natural gas liquids from the fracked areas of the Pennsylvania/Ohio border through Kentucky to Louisiana for processing and export for the manufacture of plastics.

The pipeline is targeted to go through a dozen or more Kentucky counties (the route has shifted

Map of the possible Bluegrass Pipeline route through Kentucky.

FRANKLIN COUNTY – The Franklin County

Fiscal Court, after much urging from locals, held an informational meeting on July 15. Residents shared information and resources with the magistrates. On July 25, the court passed a resolution to oppose the Bluegrass Pipeline. On July 31, the State Journal broke the story of the involvement of the governor’s son.

SHELBY COUNTY – The Shelby

County KFTC chapter held an informational meeting on July 16.

Mary Dan Easley, a member whose family’s land was in the proposed path of the pipeline, led the discussion. Members met July 31 with the county judge-executive and a magistrate who agreed to bring a resolution opposing the pipeline before the fiscal court.

WOODFORD COUNTY – A

broad coalition of organizations and individuals presented their concerns to the county judge-executive and a representative from U.S. Rep. Andy Barr’s office. A fiscal court meeting took place on July 23 to hear from the Williams representative, and another meeting for public comment is scheduled for August 6. Two community meetings in the Millville community drew 80 and 90 residents.

several times as the company tries to find the path of least resistance). Currently, the company is seeking permission to survey in order to finalize its route and determine any obstacles, such as topographical barries or endangered species..

Below is a map with some of the activities, actions and outcomes that echo the message that Kentuckians don’t want any part of this pipeline. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it offers a look at the grassroots organizing that has accomplished much in a just a few weeks.

SCOTT COUNTY – At the urging of local residents, the Scott County Fis-

cal Court held a meeting focused on concerns about the pipeline, and two weeks later passed a resolution calling for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a “full and comprehensive environmental study for all areas that may be affected by the proposed project” and calling for “the potential use of eminent domain to condemn certain defined areas contained within the proposed pipeline project be examined and questioned to the fullest extent.”

PENDLETON, GRANT and OWEN COUNTIES – Getting organized with neighbor-toneighbor conversations, and outreach to local officials and media.

ANDERSON COUNTY – The county judge-executive said he had

received 50 calls from local residents in the proposed path who are opposed to the Bluegrass Pipeline. Lots of folks came to the July 16 fiscal court meeting to voice their concerns, and the local paper’s story had the headline “Judge says pipeline not welcome here.” There is a landowner meeting on August 1 and another public meeting on August 6.

WASHINGTON COUNTY – The New Pio-

LARUE and HARDIN COUNTIES – Getting

organized with community informational meetings in early August, and outreach to local officials and media.

NELSON COUNTY – Where vocal opposition first emerged. County residents insisted

that the fiscal court hold a public meeting for residents to learn more and share concerns.

The Courier Journal, the Kentucky Standard and WFPL-FM covered the meeting, highlighting residents’ concerns about Williams’ safety record, lack of experience with NGLs, and the potential impacts on the county’s land and water supply. Residents organized another meeting July 10 for public education, and even more people came out to learn from their neighbors.

neers for a Sustainable Future, based in Washington County, organized one of the first public information meetings. People came from several counties and left with enough knowledge and information to organize in their communities.

Because of stiff resistance from landowners in Nelson County, the company was forced to shift its route and has been seeking permission to survey in Washington and Marion counties.

MARION COUNTY – After a successful weekend

of tabling at the St. Francis of Assisi church picnic, Loretto residents organized a robust community forum on July 29 with more than 120 in attendance.

The county judge-executive was there and agreed to present a pipeline resolution to the fiscal court.

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The way forward: we know more than we think we know

KFTC’s Appalachia’s Bright Future conference in April featured many inspirational and insightful speakers. We’ll publish some of those presentations in issues of balancing the scales throughout the year. This issue we feature remarks from Justin Maxson, president of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development.

by Justin Maxson

I’m a Kentuckian whose family roots run deep in Appalachia and central Kentucky. For the last decade I’ve had the great privilege to work with the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development. We have worked for nearly 40 years to create sustainable economic alternatives and strengthen communities in eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia.

Over the last two years we have supported more than 70 small entrepreneurs by lending more than $5 million and providing 2,500 hours of technical assistance. We operate several energy programs that have resulted in more than 200 residential and commercial energy efficiency retrofits. We helped landowners sustainably manage more than 30,000 acres of forestland.

If you take anything away from what I say I hope it is this: we know a lot more than we think we know about the way forward. We have many more assets to build from than we often believe. And despite our many challenges, including rapid changes to our local and regional economy, there are innovative people providing hopeful examples all around us. What we need now is to knit these pieces together with a vision for Appalachian renewal and help grow them to meaningful scale. To do that, we need a movement that is big enough, inclusive enough, ambitious enough and visionary enough to build a bright future here in the mountains.

For too long we’ve been told – and many of us have come to believe – that eastern Kentucky can’t, eastern Kentucky won’t, eastern Kentucky doesn’t, eastern Kentucky isn’t. When did we start believing that? More importantly, why? I think that mindset is a problem and a major challenge.

Whether we use the words “just transition” or “Appalachian renewal,” fundamentally what we are talking about is an intentional effort to improve the quality of life for people and places affected by economic distress and degradation of our land and water. There are a lot of necessary ingredients to bring about renewal in eastern Kentucky. I am going to talk about three ingredients – vision, development strategies that work and leadership.

For a transcript of Justin’s presentation, go here: http://bit.ly/1e4kNXi To see a video of the presentation, go here: http://vimeo.com/65145222

The Importance of Vision

We are all familiar with the power of vision. Martin Luther King didn’t anchor his speech from the Lincoln Memorial with facts or complaint. He propelled a movement by sharing his dream, his vision of a better future.

When you think about the future, what do you see? Where do you want to go? What will it take to get there?

To build a bright future … we’ve got to have more of those important conversations – and not just with people we like or expect to agree with.

Vision will be critical to building the region that many of us want – but to make that vision real, we need a clear-eyed understanding of our current situation. As we all know, the challenges faced by Appalachian communities are multiple and connected. They include persistent and widespread unemployment and poverty, chronically underfunded schools and public services, damage to our land and water, serious health disparities, and a lack of effective public leadership.

Today eastern Kentucky – and the Central Appalachian region as a whole – is experiencing widespread layoffs and declines in production. There are a number of driving forces behind these changes … underground mining has declined just as fast as surface mining … and many mines with existing permits have been closed for economic reasons.

Under these pressures, it’s no wonder that tensions are running high. But … we are wasting precious time if we continue to focus on who or what is to blame. Let’s face it, even when the coal industry was doing well our economy and communities were in distress. Isn’t it time for us to pull together to figure out what can be done to diversify our economy and provide a better quality of life for more people?

200 home audits. We piloted an approach new to Kentucky where we front the cost of retrofits. The homeowner sees an immediate reduction on their bill and the rest of the savings goes to pay off the cost of the retrofit. Contractors are hiring new workers to manage the demand for installations.

There are other great examples – efforts to grow local foods in Floyd County, entrepreneurial coaching in northeast Kentucky counties, worker support efforts in Perry County and many more.

These examples help illustrate four key development strategies that I think are central to moving us toward a brighter Appalachian future. We need to: √ √ √ √

Better support entrepreneurs and locally owned enterprises.

Focus on growing key sectors that create economic opportunity and lead toward our vision.

Support more worker transition.

Generate more investment for Appalachian renewal by better using coal severance tax funds.

We need to do a better job of knitting together these strategies and others, identifying ambitious outcomes and finding the investment to do this work at a large enough scale and over enough time to see real results.

Taken together, these strategies have the potential to help us build a bright Appalachian future. All of them will take better collaboration between our organizations and communities. Some of them will require better state or federal policy. But none of them will move forward without better leadership.

Culture of Leadership

To have a just transition in eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia, we need to develop a new culture of leadership. Certainly that starts by expecting more from our political leadership – we need elected officials who are willing to ask hard Development Strategies that Work Better questions, lead with vision and listen to diverse voices. But we also have to develop a different sense

Creating jobs and building strong communities of ourselves as leaders and actors in our own right. is hard, slow and uncertain. But we know a lot about We must encourage leadership when it comes from what works. And there is important work going on in unexpected places, including from our young people, the region today that points the way. entrepreneurs, artists and others.

I met a young entrepreneur from Perry County I am convinced we know a lot about how to move who moved back to Hazard after college. She couldn’t toward Appalachian renewal. We have some great ideas find a job so she decided to make one. With some real about how to grow that work. But the road in front help, she opened the Treehouse Café and Bakery. She of us is as much a political created an art gallery space in the Café, has a poetry and cultural struggle, as it is and open mic night. She had to anything. So it is going to take fight through resistance from Find more great reading on more than just good ideas, her friends and family. But she though we need them as well. did it, she had a vision and she Appalachian Transition at It will take aligning all the made it real. www.kftc.org/abf/connect pieces – vision, leadership,

Another example: MACED development strategies that has partnered with four (find links in the right column) work and resources. We can rural electric cooperatives make Appalachian renewal a to complete 115 residential reality. energy retrofits and more than

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balancing the scales, August 1, 2013

Calendar of Events

Aug. 12 Jefferson County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 809 South 4th Street in Louisville. Contact Alicia@kftc.org or call 502-589-3188.

Aug. 13 Letcher County chapter meeting, 6 p.m., Whitesburg KFTC office. Contact Tanya@ kftc.org or call 606-632-0051.

Aug. 15 Central Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Diocese Mission House (corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and 4th Street) in Lexington. Contact BethHoward@kftc.org or call 859-276-0563.

Aug. 15 Rowan County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Morehead.

Aug. 20 Northern Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at Roebling Books and Coffee at 306 Greenup St. Contact Joe@kftc.org or call 859-380-6103.

Aug. 20 Perry County chapter meeting and potluck, 6 p.m. Bring a dish to share if you like, or just enjoy some food and fellowship with us!

HCTC Vo-Tech Campus Owens Building 115B. Contact Jessie@kftc.org or call 606263-4982.

Aug. 25

Community Slow Flow Yoga: A Practice Exploring Justice for the Individual and the Community. This is a series of 4 classes: June 23 • July 21 • August 25 • September 22.

See ad on page 10. Email BethHoward@kftc. org for more information.

Aug. 26

Madison County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Berea College Appalachian Center, 205 N. Main St., Berea. Contact BethBissmeyer@ kftc.org or call 859-314-2044.

Aug. 27

Southern Kentucky (SOKY) chapter planning meeting, 6:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 531 West 11th St. Contact Denney@kftc.org or call 270-779-6483.

Sept. 2

Wilderness Trace chapter planning meeting, 7 p.m. at Inter-County Energy Community Room, 1009 Hustonville Road, Danville.

Contact BethBissmeyer@kftc.org or call 859314-2044.

Sept. 5

Scott County chapter meeting, 7 p.m., at the Georgetown Public Library. Email Joe@kftc.org or 859-380-6103 for more information.

Are you curious about the quality of the water in your community?

Then attend a workshop on Saturday, September 7 and learn how to do basic tests of local streams, learn how to get others in your community involved, and learn about other water quality issues we face in the mountains.

This workshop is free and open to the public. People of all skill and interest levels are encouraged to attend. Registration is encouraged but not required.

For more information or to register, please visit: www.kftc.org/water