balancing the scales Volume 30 Number 3 May 11, 2011

KFTC members share vision, hopes, and expectations for eastern Kentucky with governor

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Inside...Betty Morgan remembered pg. 3

Stacy Branch Community hopes for protection from EPA pg. 7

Growing Appalachia, lends action to people’s vision pg. 10

Clean Energy Collaborative gets off to an encouraging start

pg. 13

Fairness in Taxation Act and The People’s Budget: two good solutions

pg. 15

And much more

Members ask for safe, clean drinking water

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page �

Editor’s Note: Members of KFTC’s Executive Committee will be using this new “Executive Committee Corner” to share perspectives on such topics as how they became involved with KFTC, why they’ve stayed, or what aspects of particular issues hold special interest or significance for them.

by Rick HandshoeKFTC At-Large Member

Back in 1990, before I even joined KFTC, I was trying to organize my commu-nity, after mining moved in below my dad’s house. I

saw mud all over the place, trucks running people off the

road. The coal companies just moved into the community and

took over. People in the community here stick to their own business, and the coal company took advantage of that. We’d lived here all of our lives when these companies moved in and changed our lives. They were treating people badly. We’d call an agency and someone would come out and say there’s nothing wrong, because the company would know they were coming. I bought $30 worth of poster board, made a tem-plate and spray-painted a bunch of signs. They said, “Call this number for mud on the road,” and “Call this number for coal truck trouble,” and it gave the phone numbers. I was just trying to tell the community this is wrong and they could do something about it. I went out in the middle of the night, from one end of that road to the other putting those posters up. Then in the morning I had to go to work – I was still working for the state police at the time. I guess it shocked the coal company when they came in that morning. The news in the neighborhood was that the guy running the mine went to the local grocery store and asked, “Are the people really that mad at us?” They tore some of the signs down, but it did help straighten them up a little. I did this to get the people, more than just one person, to start reporting these problems. I knew by working with the state police that if you get a bunch of reports coming in, they’ll take a look at it more than just one person reporting something. Most people didn’t even know the number to call. That’s what got me started, just to try to get the community to work together. And it did generate some response. When mud was all over the road, people would see my signs and had the number to call. It also let the coal companies know the people were getting

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

is a statewide grassroots social justice organi­zation working for a new balance of power and a just society. KFTC uses direct­action organizing to accomplish the following goals:

• foster democratic values• change unjust institutions• empower individuals• overcome racism and other discrimination• communicate a message of what is 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

Steve Boyce, ChairpersonSue Tallichet, Vice-Chairperson

Dana Beasley Brown, Secretary-TreasurerK.A. Owens, Immediate Past ChairRick Handshoe, At-Large Member

Chapter RepresentativesRosanne Fitts Klarer, Scott County

Erika Skaggs, Central KentuckyTed Withrow, Rowan County

Scott Goebel, Northern KentuckyMary Love, Jefferson County

Meredith Wadlington, Bowling Green & FriendsCarl Shoupe, Harlan CountyTruman Hurt, Perry County

Megan Naseman, Madison CountyPatty Amburgey, Letcher County

Beverly May, Floyd CountyCari Moore, Knott CountyVanessa Hall, Pike County

Alternates: Matt Doolin, Matt Heil, Lisa Bryant, Antonio Mazzaro, Martha Flack, Sandi Joiner, Stanley Sturgill, McKinley Sumner, Steve Wilkins, Jeff Chapman-Crane, Bobby Hicks, and Erica Urias.

Kentuckians For The CommonwealthP.O. Box 1450 London, Kentucky 40743­1450

606­878­2161 Fax: 606­878­5714info@kftc.org www.kftc.org

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. Subscriptions are $20 per year.

On the cover: KFTC members Rick Handshoe (not pictured), Teri Blanton (left) and Sister Kathleen Weigand (center) took Governor Steve Beshear on a tour of Eastern Kentucky sites that are directly impacted by moun-taintop removal and other forms of coal mining. The tour was an opportunity to talk about differing perspec-tives but more to come to a common vision that Eastern Kentucky needs to create a different economy that respects the land, water, and people while creating much needed jobs for future generations. The governor was accompanied by Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters.

Executive Committee Cornerupset. Nobody for years knew who did that. I didn’t even tell my dad for a long time. Thatwasmyfirststepofseeingthatsomethingassimple as knowing who to call can make a difference. It showed me that things can get better. Later, I moved up here, about a half mile from where I did live. It was the same thing – mud and dust. I got a petition and went up and down the road, talking to neighbors. Someone gave me a copy of balancing the scales; we talked to some folks in Knott County who knew a little bit about KFTC. KFTC got me in contact with a lot of other people with similar problems; we weren’t alone here. We needed to work with others. There’s power in num-bers. KFTC has taught me a lot about working with oth-ers. They also taught me how to go to the permitting officeandlookupthepermit.I’mstilllearning,everytimeIwalkintothatoffice. In 2003, mining moved within 325 feet of my dad. The coal company tore out gas lines on property ad-joining my dad’s that the company had bought, even though we had the right of way for those lines. The blasting did some damage to his house. The dust put him in the hospital a couple of times, and he couldn’t raise a garden because of the dust. He started experiencing water well problems. We lost six water wells on that property due to quantities of water being lost, and then methane in the water. The company destroyed a hand-dug well one of my ances-tors had built; it’d been there 110 years. I worked for a year to get city water up there, to my dad’s. But people are still experiencing methane problems above my dad. A neighbor up here, he’s an older gentleman. I called in a complaint for him just recently. The state in-spectorscameoutandcheckedhiswellandconfirmedthat it’s 54.9 parts per million (ppm) methane when 28 is the high end of the scale. Anything above 10 ppm is starting to cause problems – his was 54.9. He doesn’t have any other source of water. In their report, the state told him, at the mini-mum, open all windows and doors when running the washing machine, taking a shower or washing dishes – that’s how bad it is. That’s wrong. Stateofficialsagreed that themethanegas isget-ting into people’s wells from the deep mines. All these houses up here need to be checked for methane. These are some of the things that got me started organizing and connected to KFTC, and that keep me busy almost every day. I live this story. We want a bet-terfuture,butthesebadthingshavetostopfirst.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page 3

Table of ContentsExecutive Committee Corner page 2Betty Morgan remembered page 3New Power Leader Profi le: Cindy Shepherd page 5

Letter to the EditorLG&E can step up, do more page 5

Local UpdatesNorthern Kentucky chapter refl ects on growth and plans for the future page 6Madison County chapter to host friend-raiser on June 4 page 6Stacy Branch community hopes for protection from EPA page 7Growing Appalachia conference lends action to people’s vision page 10Central Kentucky chapter continues strong work on diverse issues page 11Lands Unsuitable for Mining petition at Teges in Clay County page 11

Canary Project UpdateKFTC hosts Gov. Beshear on a tour of Eastern Kentucky page 8Historic march on Blair Mountain page 9Sixth Annual Week-in-Washington brings new faces to the fi ght page 12

Renew East Kentucky UpdateClean Energy Collaborative gets off to an encouraging start page 13Members are encouraged to attend electric co-ops’ annual meetings page 13KFTC’s Renew East Kentucky campaign goes to Washington page 14Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance Update page 14Collaboration at research conferences focuses on health of Appalachia page 14

Economic Justice UpdateFairness in Taxation Act and The People’s Budget: two good solutions page 15Rep. Rogers and the federal budget page 15

e-mail any staff member at fi rstname@kftc.org except for Jessica Hays Lucas use jessicabreen@kftc.org and

Brittany Hunsaker use brittanyh@kftc.org

KFTC Offi ces and StaffMAIN OFFICE

Morgan Brown, Robin Daugherty & Burt Lauderdale

P.O. Box 1450London, Kentucky 40743

606­878­2161 Fax: 606­878­5714

info@kftc.org

FIELD OFFICESLouisville

Jessica George, Jerry Hardt,

Colette Hendersonand Nancy Reinhart901 Franklin StreetLouisville, Ky 40206

502­589­3188

WhitesburgWilla Johnson,

Tanya Turner, and Colleen Unroe P.O. Box 463

Whitesburg, Ky 41858606­632­0051

BereaLisa Abbott, Amy Hogg,

Carissa Lenfert,Sara Pennington and Kevin Pentz

140 Mini Mall DriveBerea, KY 40403

859­986­1277

BereaTeri Blanton

118 Baugh StreetBerea, Ky. 40403

859­986­1648

Central KentuckyTim Buckingham,

Jessica Hays Lucas, Erik Hungerbuhler, Brittany Hunsaker,

Heather Roe Mahoney, Dave Newton, John

Malloy and Ondine Quinn

250 Plaza Drive Suite 4Lexington, Ky 40503

859­276­0563

Northern KentuckyJoe Gallenstein859­380­6103

Floyd CountyBrittany Combs606­422­0100

Betty Morgan rememberedBy Chad Berry

The residents of Eastern Kentucky who are fighting to preserve water,community, biodiversity, and human health lost a great partner in Mrs. Betty L. Morgan, long-time wife and partner, in the truest sense of the word, to Mr. Daymon Morgan of Leslie County. Betty died on March 12, 2011, after a long strug-gle with conges-tive heart failure and other ail-ments. She is sur-vived by her hus-band, Daymon, along with chil-dren Lester Mor-gan, Daymon Ray Morgan, David Morgan, James Morgan, Dale Morgan, Cartha Merrill, and Sally Morgan. She and Daymon have 19 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchil-dren, and 2 great-

great grandchildren. She was 78 years old, a native West Virginian, and was the daughter of the late Robert Britton and Bessie Elliott. I first met Daymon and Betty in1991, twenty years ago this month. Betty was much more active then, full of life and vitality and eager to have

a conversation. She was a warm and welcoming host to Lower Bad Creek, and she al-ways wanted to make sure that you didn’t leave her home hungry. She and Day-m o n t o g e t h e r offered up local p ro d u c e f ro m their garden that was cooked in a most delicious way. Teri Blan-ton agreed, say-ing, “Betty was always warm and welcoming and ready to make you something to eat. It was re-

ally a good meal when it was something they had gathered from the mountains or from their garden.” As her health dete-riorated, she could often be found sitting in her recliner. But she still had a twinkle in her eye, was always glad to see you, and she still wanted to make sure that food was served up. If she could have done so, she would have jumped up and made that food herself. She was a warm and kind mother and wife and friend to all those who cared about Eastern Kentucky. Having had an amazing dinner at Daymon’s and Betty’s just a week before she died, I was marveling how Betty taught her daughters Sally and Cartha to carry on her culinary skills. We enjoyed pork roast, carrots and potatoes, soup beans, cole slaw, Day-mon’s “Bloody Butcher” cornbread, and strawberry pie. There was even some corn cob jelly. To Daymon and his children, all of us in KFTC offer our sincere condo-lences in this sad time.

Happy Birthday KFTC

30 Years of Action For Justice!

Save-the-DateAugust ��, �011

Cathedral DomainIrvine, KY

Betty Morgan and her husband Daymon have hosted countless groups of visi-tors at their home who are interested in learning about mountaintop removal coal mining, mountain herbs and care for the land. Betty passed away on March 1�.

KFTC30 Anniversaryth

Looking Back …

KFTC turns 30 in August. We started with the last issue to recall some of the history of KFTC and the people involved. We’ll have an installment in each issue of balancing the scales in 2011. In this issue we’re again looking at some KFTC pre-history, in this case those events that led to KFTC’s formation in 1981.

25 Years Ago …• Martin County members successfully challenge a

plan by American Electric Power to charge the cost of building a coal-burning power plant in Indiana to its customers in eastern Kentucky.

• KFTC’s annual Coal Production Study shows that just 10 companies control 40% of Kentucky’s coal production; only one of the 10 is based in Kentucky.

20 Years Ago …• Lawrence County members win when the state

revokes the permit for the controversial Roe Creek Landfill.MembersofGROWL(GreenupResidentsOpposingWasteLandfill)celebratethedelayofapermitfora937-acreout-of-statewastelandfill.

• KFTC re-establishes a legal defense fund to prepare for court battles defending the 1988 broad form deed constitutional amendment victory.

15 Years Ago …• PikeCountyresidentsgetpledgesfromGov.Paul

Pattonandcountyofficialstoextendwaterlinesto 1,000 homes where wells have been destroyed by mining and gas drilling. More than 100 people attend a public meeting sponsored by the local KFTC chapter.

• A new KFTC committee called the “Watchdogs” begins working on Money in Politics issues.

10 Years Ago …• Members support successful efforts to stop a

new strip mine that threatened Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County.

• At a press conference, KFTC members challenge proposed plans for 19 new, mostly coal-burning, power plants in Kentucky, insisting on more transparency, community input and pollution reduction in the permitting process.

• Louisville members work with Citizens Against Police Abuse on a number of community policing issues, with the goal to reduce violence, make drug rehab accessible, and end racialprofiling.

5 Years Ago …• Research compiled by a KFTC member shows that

stateofficialsroutinelygrantedstreambufferzonewaivers to coal operators – 321 waivers affecting 543 streams in 2005 alone.

• KFTC members join pro-immigrant efforts across the state, including a large Si Se Puede rally in Lexington. Activism on immigration issues was stirred up by anti-immigrant bills in Congress.

InApril1977,devastatingfloodsstruckCentralAppalachia.Thousandsofhomeswere lost or damaged, property loss was in the hundreds of million dollars and 44 people died. Fifteen counties in eastern Kentucky were declared federal disaster areas. What was obvious to many Appalachia residents and later documented in several studies, areas with heavy strip mining suffered the worst damage. A study by Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest, for example, found that mining added threefeettothefloodlevelinthetownofHarlan. Thefloodsandtheaftermathaddedtomanyproblemsalreadyprevalentintheregion – abuse of the land, inadequate housing, lack of community services, land ownership patterns, and many others. Community-based activists representing more than 50 groups across Appalachia responded by forming the Appalachian Alliance, which remained active until the mid-1980s. Alliancemembersworkedonmanyissuessuchashousing,healthcareandfloodrecovery.However,thefloodspointedtolandownershipandusepatternsasoneofthe primary causes for many of the region’s woes. Corporate ownership of large tracts of land often meant there was little available land left to meet housing and economic development needs. And the underassessment and under-taxing of this corporate wealth meant the local tax base was inadequate to provide even a basic level of services taken for granted in other parts of the state. An Alliance task force decided to document this. In a major study involving community-based research, the Alliance documented who owned the land and who paid the taxes in 80 counties in six Appalachian states. The Kentucky portion of the study included 12 counties and was coordinated by Joe Childers, who later served as KFTC’s attorney for many years. In Kentucky, 76 percent of the land surveyed in the 12 counties belonged to corporations or individuals outside the county, or in some cases to government agencies. Just 25 corporate and individual owners controlled more than a million

acres of land or mineral rights, or both. The top 10 land-owners, with 34% of the land and minerals, paid only 11% of the property taxes.Overall, the top25 owners, with more than half of the land and minerals in the 12 counties, paid only a fourth of the property taxes. Clearly, the people who lived in eastern Kentucky owned or controlled (because of the broad form deed) little of the land in their communities. But they did pay a disproportionate share of the taxes. The injustice of land ownership and taxation patterns was most blatant in Martin County. Just one company, the Pocahontas Development Company, owned one-third of the total surface land in the county, and 55% of the minerals. The company’s 81,333 acres of coal reserves were assessed at just $7 million. And the company’s annual property tax bill on these 81,333 acres was only $76! These injustices were deliberate. Coal company property was grossly underassessedacrosstheboard.TheGeneralAssemblyhadspecificallyexemptedunmined coal from property taxation. Challenging some of these corporate assessments was the Concerned Citizens of Martin County, a group that formed originally to protect the town of Beauty when it wasslatedforrelocation,tomakewayformining,undertheguiseoffloodcontrol.TheywereledbyGladysMaynard,LorraineSlone,MaryJaneBlevinsandothers. InHarlanCounty,citizenshadformedtheCloverforkOrganizationtoProtectthe Environment to address strip mining and similar land ownership patterns. HazelKing,Dr.J.D.Miller,HobartGrillsandRebeccaSimpsonwereamongCOPE’sleaders. Both groups had learned that while they could win some victories on the local level, it would take legislative change to remove the property tax exemption on unmined coal and other restrictions on local tax revenues. It would take strong enforcement, mandated by the state, to get corporate property assessed at its full value (or even listed on the tax rolls) in order to increase revenue for local services. Similarly,itwouldtakeacommitmentbystateofficialstofullyenforcethenew(1977)federalsurfacemininglawsothatwaterlossandthefillingofstreamswithmining runoff could be prevented.

Flooding in eastern Kentucky.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page �

New Power Leader Program

KFTC’s New Power Leader Program is con-tinuing to grow, with members across the state engaging clusters of their friends and families with conversations about KFTC and building toward our shared vision for Kentucky. Cindy Shepherd is a member in Clay County who’s been a New Power Leader since February. Here, she shares a bit about hersel, and a bit about being a New Power Leader.

My husband and I have an organic farm and we raise chickens and bees and milk goats and sheep and a garden. We have a five-year-old sonwho’s in lovewith our place, our farm. He plays in the creeks and plays in the mountains, and he plans on being a farmer. I want to better our community so that it’s healthy and strong. I’m doing this for my boy, so that he can stay here. Now is the time for me to make a positive change and be a positive voice in my community. I’d been learning about the Renew East Kentucky work, and I saw that as something I could work on that would be a really positive step for my community, and for other communities like mine. There are a couple of strip mines fourorfivemilesfrommyhouse.Whenthose became active, about nine miles of the state highway got devastated, and people in my community became angry. We’re all just looking for answers, and I became a New Power Leader to

Cindy Shepherd draws others into effort to protect landbring people together around good so-lutions. IputtogetheraclusteroffivepeopleI already knew, and who were some of those people looking for answers. Some of them are long time friends, and some of them are acquaintances I’m getting to know better. One is a good friend ofminewhowas one of the original KFTC members thirty years ago, and is interested in join-ing again. I introduced the New Power Leader Program to them, told them what we’re doing. In the New Power Leader Hand-book there’s a suggestion about how to havethatfirstconversation,alongwitha template that people can work from. I took out some parts and added others, and put it in my own words. I kept it short and sweet and asked, “Would it be okay to include you in my cluster?” Then conversations just hap-pened. I was so nervous before I did it. But it was so refreshing to call people and have a nice, relaxed conversation. I could be myself. I told them I’d keep in touch, and I’m going to be getting in touch with them soon to talk with them about what I’m learning about the Clean Water Protection Act and the Rural Star Bill. From there, we’ll see. I feel like all of them can be powerful in this movement. And from them, we can connect with others in the community who want to

make change. Five years from now, when I’m one of 1,000 New Power Leaders who are each inviting clustersoffiveor tenpeople into KFTC, that’s going to put more power in the hands of the people. Let’s get the power to the people so we can have a better community with a future.

New Power leader Cindy Shepherd and her son enjoy their farm in eastern Ken-tucky and fear nearby strip mines will be moving closer to their home. Shepherd has become a New Power Leader to help organize her local community.

The New Power Leader Program helps me have regular, normal conver-sations with people that let them know that we do have power, and we do have a say. And it grows the numbers of people who will act on that. There’s power in numbers; we all feel much braver when there are people standing with us.

Dear editor, Taking a step in the right direction, LG&E(LouisvilleGas&Electric)plansto retire several coal-burning units over the next five years, according to docu-ments submitted to the Public Service Commission (PSC). While switching power plants to natural gas may make for less air pollu-tion, natural gas is still a fossil fuel and cannot be relied on to sustain healthy communities. And just as surface min-ing for coal destroys streams and land in mountain communities, fracking for natural gas pumps unknown chemicals into the ground and pollutes water

sources for communities. Going from using one unhealthy,nonrenewable fuel source to another will not sustain us in the long-run, but LG&E can make investments now to develop a sustainable energy future. Stepping up energy efficiency projects and increasing the amount of electricity generated by renewable en-ergyisthenextlogicalmoveforLG&Eto keep costs steady over time and to protect the health of our communities. LG&E recently proposed programs tothe PSC that would give rebates to cus-tomers for purchasing Energy Star ap-pliances, but most Louisvillians cannot

Letter to the EditorLG&E can step up, do more afford the up-front costs of a new major

appliance. Another option that would benefitmanymorepeoplewouldbe forLG&Etooffertoreplaceinefficientrefrigeratorswith Energy Star models. Because old refrigerators are often the biggest energy hog in homes, using a new one would significantly reduce a person’s usage,and the savings that come from using less electricity can then be used to re-pay LG&Efortherefrigerator.Thisisjustoneexample of what utilities have done suc-cessfully across the country to curb costs for ratepayers – it’s a win-win. Along with implementing more energy efficiency programs, LG&E canwork now to generate more of its elec-tricity from renewable energy sources.

Solar and hydro-electric are feasible in Kentucky, and there are companies al-ready working to install these systems acrossthestate. IfLG&Eweretomakea larger investment in renewable elec-tricity, this would not only cut costs for ratepayers over time, but it would also create many new jobs and reduce pollu-tion in our communities. We know we can’t rely on coal or natural gas forever. The responsible thing to do is to plan ahead and act now to develop a sustainable energy econo-my.ThisisanopportunityforLG&Etobe a leader among utilities. I hope they rise to the occasion. We need them to.

Beth BissmeyerLouisville, Kentucky

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page 6

This event is free and open to all. The chapter is asking all attendees to bring a dish to share, your own dinner-ware, and a donated item for the silent auction (baked goods, homemade items, and donated time or service are always popular). The potluck will start at 5 p.m. and live music will start at 5:30 p.m. “I look forward to this event every year,” said Mark Henson, a member of the event planning committee. For more information call Carey Henson at 859-985-5006.

Local UpdatesNorthern Kentucky chapter refl ects on growth and plans for the future

Find KFTC on Facebook and look for local chapter pages, events and

important information

This year the Northern Kentucky chapter, the newest of all KFTC chap-ters, will be spending the anniversary thinking of all of the great work mem-bers have done over their one year of existence,andreflectingonthegrowththey have been able to achieve. Beginning in late 2009 several members began meeting about what a KFTC presence in northern Kentucky would look like, and what it would take to create a chapter. By May they had decided to move forward with creating a chapter and began building a presence in their communities. At the time the chapter was a member or two short of 120 members; the chapter today has more than 240 members. At the time, many of the members wereunsurewheretheyfitintheorga-nization, and largely had joined KFTC for a variety of reasons. Some members had joined to help inform their commu-nity about where candidates stood on the issues, and helping people register tovote.Otherssawtheunfairandinad-equate tax structure Kentucky has and could not sit idly by. Still others wanted to stop the destruction of mountaintop removal. Over timemembersbecamebetterfamiliar with all of KFTC’s issues, and the chapter has grown to represent both the diversity of the issues members

work on and the people in the commu-nity. “We now have people attending our meetings who identify themselves as liberal Democrats, conservative Republicans, Tea Party members, and Libertarian Party members, that I would never have thought would make common cause on issues like restor-ing voting rights to former felons, and clean water issues,” said member Rick Traud. This unique blend of perspectives has allowed the Northern Kentucky chapter to work over the past year in putting together two great concerts. Thefirstwasaroundvoterregistration,and was headlined by the Rumpke Mountain Boys. The other was Music for the Mountains, an all-house show at the Southgate House organized primar-ily by musicians of Magnolia Mountain to help put an end to mountaintop re-moval and plan for a new economy in thecoalfields. MemberJeffHamptonreflectedonthe success of those concerts, and was amazed at the amount of money raised and members recruited. He also re-called the push from chapter members tohaveKFTCofficiallyjoinacoalitionto cap payday lending rates at 36 per-cent, and the instrumental role that the organization and chapter have had in

meeting with legislators around that issue. Several members of the Kentucky GeneralAssembly received packets ofinformation on payday lending put together by Hampton and other mem-bers featuring recent articles on payday lending, alternatives to the practice, and the increasing availability of un-regulated payday loans being offered from banks like Fifth Third. The chapter is not content with just

celebrating all of their recent events and successes. In fact, earlier this year, the chapter set a membership goal of reach-ing 350 members by the beginning of 2012. The chapter may have doubled in membership in roughly one year, but for the driven members of the North-ern Kentucky chapter that is not good enough. By the end of the year they will have tripled from where they started just a short year and a half before.

The Madison County chapter is throwing a Friend-Raiser celebration. More than 150 people are expected to gather atHomeGrownHideaways onSaturday, June 4 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. for an evening of family-fun, food, open poetry and live music. The bluegrass jam band The Blind Corn Liquor Pickers will be headlining the event. “It is a good time to see old friends and meet new ones,” said KFTC mem-ber Tress Spencer.

Madison County chapter to host friend-raiser on June 4

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page �

Local UpdatesStacy Branch community hopes for protection from EPA The community of Stacy Branch in Sassafras is be-ing threatened with a proposed mountaintop removal mine. Leeco Coal Company is making good on a threat to mine the head of Stacy Branch and all along the right side of the holler all the way down to Sassafras for a few years. The only agency protecting the community is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Conductivity tests of Stacy Branch are above safe limits set by the EPA in its current conductivity guid-ance. The guidance sets the conductivity limit at 500 micro-Siemens and the current conductivity of Stacy Branch is at or above 600 micro-Siemens. Local residents also are very concerned about the potentialforfloodinganddamagefromnearbyblast-ing.Withfourvalleyfills inthenarrowStacyBranchholler, if something as simple as a culvert getting stopped up in a rainstorm dozens of homes could be damagedbyflashfloods. “If this permit is approved then I’ll have a coal pro-cessing plant directly across from my home, a coal train directly across from my home, a coal haul road directly in front of my home and now a strip mine and valley filldirectlybehindmyhome,”TiffanySkilespointedout in a recent meeting with the EPA in Washington. “All through high school I’ve been taking classes and learning to honor and respect the culture of the moun-tains. How am I supposed to stay here and make a home with all this around me?” The EPA is currently evaluating the potential water pollution discharge impacts from the proposed valley fillpermitassociatedwithLeeco’sStacyBranchmine.

Tiffany Skiles (center) and the senior art class at Cordia School in the Lott’s Creek community created an art project to send to EPA officials showing places they love in their community that are threatened by proposed mining. Below left is the letter the students sent along with the art.

To EPA Administrator Fleming:

Re: The proposed 404 valley fill permit for Leeco Coal Company, permit 897-0480

“The students here at Cordia High School have created this photo project to represent their pride for the beautiful mountains in which we live. The photos show some of the few classic beauties of why we love it here so much. We feel that the destroying of these magnificent mountains is truly devastating. We were wondering if you would like to meet us here sometime to get to know us and our community?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and look at our project. We hope to see you soon!”

Announcing a beautiful new book …

Saving Kentucky is about preserving not only land and historic property, but also a way of life. It tells the stories of an eclectic group of Kentuckians – including KFTC member Daymon Morgan – both in their own words and through the extraordinary photographs of Thomas Hart Shelby. From tenant farmers to urban revivalists, they have one thing in common: a deep connection to their heritage and a fierce determination to preserve it for future generations.

In these pages you will meet families who see, with uncommon clarity, the human value of the land. You will meet leaders, innovators and visionaries—people who are thinking about forever, not just tomorrow. Sally Van Winkle Campbell has traveled Kentucky, driving the roads of the Bluegrass, seeing first-hand the majesty, as well as the heartbreak of the eastern Appalachian Mountains, and witnessing the renewal of the commonwealth’s urban centers. More than a warning, it is an invitation – a call to each of us to embrace the future with hope and, most of all, imagination, even as we hold tight to the past.

Pick up a copy at a local independent bookstore or order online at: www.savingkentucky.com

A portion of the proceeds from this book will support the work of KFTC to save the mountains and heritage of Eastern Kentucky from mountaintop removal and valley fills.

Daymon Morgan

ACTION NeededEPA officials need to strengthen their resolve to protect the community by enforcing the Clean Water Act. Please send a message in support of local residents’ request asking EPA officials to come visit Stacy’s Branch and neighboring Lotts Creek before they make a decision on Leeco permit #897-0480.

Send your message to:Gwendolyn Keyes FlemingEPA Region 4 AdministratorAtlanta Federal Center61 Forsyth Street, SWAtlanta, GA 30303-3104404-562-8357keyesfleming.gwendolyn@epa.gov

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page �

Canary Project UpdateKFTC hosts Gov. Beshear on a tour of Eastern Kentucky Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear,accompanied by Energy and Environ-ment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters, met on April 7 with residents in Eastern Kentucky to see and hear firsthand about the importance of protecting their water, opportunities for community development, and problems associated with mountaintop removal coal mining andvalleyfills.Thetourwashostedbymembers of KFTC. The governor’s visit made good on an earlier commitment to visit the region and learn about the impact of surface mining on health and water. Floyd County residents Rick Handshoe and Sister Kathleen Weigand took him on a tour of several locations in Floyd County where pollution levels in streams below mine sites are more than three times the allowable standard set by the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency. The gov-ernor observed while water quality tests were taken in both a healthy stream and streams degraded by coal mining opera-tions. Handshoe also showed the gover-norasedimentpondbelowavalleyfillnear his home that is contaminated by acid mine drainage. Weigand pointed out to the governor

that the streams he visited were a few of thousands that have been impacted by mining throughout the region. “What you’re seeing here is just one example of a much larger problem. It’s happening all over,” she said. Handshoeadded,“Governor,thisisa people issue; it’s a human rights issue. Ourgroundwateraroundherewascon-taminated by deep mining a long time ago. You just can’t allow our surface waters to be destroyed too.” Later that afternoon, GovernorBeshear and Secretary Peters attended a meeting hosted by KFTC members in the Harlan County community of Lynch. Residents shared ideas for economic de-velopment and a sound future for their area, and asked the governor to block two proposed surface mine permits that now threaten their drinking water and quality of life. “I’ve lived here all my life,” shared Carl Shoupe, a retired third generation KFTC Member Rick Handshoe (right) shared results with the governor from a

water conductivity test near his home in Floyd County.

Governor Beshear examines Rick Handshoe’s “city water,” which was one of his counterpoints to Rick’s water problems. Upon closer examination it is easy to see how dirty even the “city water” is.

Support an economic transition to create good, new jobs for our miners and mountain communities.• Foster a sincere, public

discussion about the opportunity we have to begin an economic transition for coal workers and communities.

• Support significant new investments in job creation in the mountains, especially in the areas of land and forest restoration, energy efficiency, and renewable energy development.

• Vigorously support the Clean Energy Opportunity Act (In 2011 this was HB 239)

• Invest in plans proposed by the city of Lynch and other eastern Kentucky communities to retrofit public buildings,

help local residents and businesses save money by saving energy, and develop community-scale renewable energy projects.

Stop the destruction of our land, water and people by fully enforcing existing laws designed to protect our health and communities from destructive mining.• Direct the Kentucky Energy

and Environment Cabinet to withdraw from the lawsuit it joined last October, in which your administration sided with the coal industry against the EPA’s efforts to protect our health and water quality.

• Direct the Kentucky Division of Water to stop using a rubber-stamp process

(known as the 402 general coal mining permit) which allows companies to pollute our water with minimal restrictions and without public input about site-specific health and environmental impacts.

• Publicly support efforts by city leaders and residents of Lynch to prevent proposed mining that threatens their water supply, cultural heritage, economic development investments, and ecological systems.

• Support proposed federal mine-safety rules that are aimed at eliminating black lung disease and allowing essential enforcement actions to be taken in deep mines that demonstrate a pattern of violations.

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A summary of actions members of KFTC are asking Governor Beshear to take to begin an economic transition in eastern Kentucky and protect our land, water and people

(box continued on next page)

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page �

Canary Project Update

Governor visits with members...

TAKE ACTION FOR Benham and LynchPlease tell Gov. Steve Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters that you support the Lands Unsuitable for Mining Petition, LUM-10-1. Say you oppose A & G permit 848-0287 and Nally & Hamilton permit 867-0472.

Talking Points1. Based on a vision for their future that included building an economic base

not dependent on mining, millions of dollars were spent to create Portal 31, the Coal Mining Museum and other tourist attractions, and preserve local landmarks. By supporting the Lands Unsuitable petition, Gov. Beshear would help protect this investment and affirm local initiatives.

2. The A & G mine will damage the streams that provide water for the city of Lynch. The Kentucky Division of Water has a “Five Mile Rule.” It is supposed to prevent discharges from strip mines “within five miles upstream from any public water supply intake.” It should follow this rule.

3. The proposed Nally & Hamilton strip mine would destroy Looney Ridge directly above Portal 31.

4. The A & G and Nally & Hamilton strip mines would place scores of sediment ponds above Lynch. Blasting would be near homes and historic buildings.

5. A & G and Nally & Hamilton would strip mine through existing gas wells.6. The A & G and Nally & Hamilton strip mines would destroy the views from

the historic cities of Lynch and Benham.

Contact Send a copy to

Governor Steve Beshear700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100Frankfort, Ky. 40601(502) 564-2611Fax: (502) 564-2517Online email: www.governor.ky.gov/ contact/contact.htm

For more information and additional actions to support Benham and Lynch, please visit www.kftc.org/benham

Len Peters, Cabinet SecretaryEnergy and Environment Cabinet5th Floor, Capital Plaza TowerFrankfort, Ky. 40601502-564-5525, ext. 214Fax: 502-564-3969Len.Peters@ky.gov

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Speak honestly and publicly about the real challenges faced by our mountain communities, namely:

• Call for an end to extreme and violent speech aimed at citizens who are working to protect Kentucky’s land, air and water.

• Acknowledge that surface mining causes unacceptable and widespread harm to our

land, water and people;• Acknowledge that coal jobs

and reserves have entered a period of rapid decline in eastern Kentucky, in large part due to market forces, business trends, and finite resources;

• Make it clear that it is going to take all of us working together to protect our land, water, and health and transition to a new economy and clean energy future.

coal miner from nearby Benham. “This is a special place with an important history. We have good, pure water that flows out off Black Mountain. With alot of work by a lot of people, we’ve builtupsomefinetourismsites,liketheSchool House Inn and Portal 31 exhibi-tion coal mine. But all of those things could be lost if the state allows these strip mines to go forward.” Stanley Sturgill, a resident of Lynch and retired coal miner and federal mine inspector, thanked the governor for his time and asked him to take a stand. “Will you declare your support for des-ignating key areas around Benham and Lynch as ‘Lands Unsuitable for Mining,’ and will direct your Energy and Environ-ment Cabinet to revisit and reverse their recent ruling on this matter?” Sturgill asked. The governor responded that his

administration would carefully review all permits and “take the concerns we’ve heard today under consideration.” GovernorBeshearlaterstated,“I’mconvinced that if we are smart and en-force our regulations, we can mine coal and protect the environment. It’s some-thing we have to balance.” TowhichSturgill countered,“Gov-ernor, what you saw up there in Floyd County today, would you consider that balanced just right?” Reflecting on the day,KFTCmem-ber Doug Doerrfeld noted, “I’m thank-fulthatGovernorBeshearandSecretaryPeters came and listened. This is just a first step, and it’s good that he agreedto meet with us again soon. There are many issues left to be resolved. The whole conversation needs to go much deeper, and we need to see concrete ac-tion.”

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Historic march on Blair Mountain to build momentum for Appalachia Rising while honoring miners’ brave stance After 14 individuals occupied the office of the Kentucky Governor inFebruary, author Wendell Berry urged others to take up the cause and “make it your adventure.” Now an upcoming event, Appalachia Rising: March on Blair Mountain, will give thousands of people from across the re-gion an opportunity to do just that. A five-daymarch and culminatingday of action is being planned for June 4-11 in West Virginia. In the footsteps of Appalachia Rising, the march will de-mand investment in sustainable econo-mies in Appalachia, the abolishment of mountaintop removal coal mining, the preservation of Blair Mountain, and the strengthening of labor rights.

KFTC is one of many groups that have endorsed the march and rally as an important opportunity for those working in the sustainability and labor movements to work together towards a sustainable and just Appalachia. KFTC members are encouraged to participate in this event. Anyone who plans to take part should visit the event webpage www.marchonblairmountaing.org to register online and learn the latest details. In addition, KFTC will host a confer-ence call at 8 p.m. on May 18 for Ken-tuckians to get their questions answered about this event. For information about how to join that call, contact Lisa Abbott at lisa@kftc.org or call 859-200-5159.

Here’s what you need to know to get started in your planning for the March on Blair Mountain. • Choose your own adventure: Individ-uals who want to take part in the march should arrive in Charleston, West Vir-ginia, on the evening of June 4. After a day of training on June 5, the group will walk about 10miles a day to the finalrally and day of action at Blair Mountain on June 11. If you don’t want to take part

in the march, you should plan to arrive in Logan, West Virginia, on June 10 for a day of training and preparation. Then you can join the rally and day of action at Blair Mountain on Saturday, June 11.

• Camping for most. Cots for some. Hotels if necessary. Organizers havesecured free sites for camping along the march route. Evening programs will fea-ture music, story telling, and planning

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balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page 10

Local UpdatesGrowing Appalachia conference lends action to people’s vision Just twodays after hostingGover-nor Beshear on a tour of communities af-fected by destructive mining, the Floyd County KFTC Chapter welcomed more than 100 people to a conference about how to build a healthier local economy in eastern Kentucky. The second annual Growing Ap-palachia conference provided ideas and advice about ways people can save and earn money through small-scale agri-culture, sustainable forestry and clean energy solutions. “This day was designed for anyone who is trying to make ends meet or wants to help build a stronger, healthier local economy,” explained KFTC mem-ber Bev May, who helped to plan the event. “I was delighted with the turn-out. Any time you do something twice and the number of people doubles, that’s a good sign.” Many workshops focused on prac-tical skills, like how to cultivate and market gourmet mushrooms, how to get community supported agriculture going, how to go through the process of getting your farm certified organic,and how to save money through home weatherization. Other presentationsintroduced people to opportunities to

save and earn money through strategies as diverse as horse-drawn logging, the use of solar energy, and community gar-dens. Letcher County KFTC member Van-essa Hall led a workshop about ways communities can come together to ac-complish projects that help people be more resilient in the face of rising energy prices and a stagnant economy. Some of these projects can be fun and highly vis-ible. For example, she described how one community worked to turn their town “Black and Blue” by teaching people to grow blackberries and blueberries and purchasing plants in bulk at a low cost. “I was excited about the diversity of the people in the room,” Hall remarked. “Itwaswonderful tofindotherpeoplethat are interested in making eastern Kentucky a better place.” During the afternoon, author, farmer and KFTC member Wendell Berry led a discussion about the need for economic diversification and local determinationin eastern Kentucky and in rural com-munities across the commonwealth. He described what it means to live in an im-posed, one-enterprise economy, “from one end of the river to the other.” “The critical difference that I want to talk about is between an imposed econ-omy, in which the land and people of an area are exploited by outside interests, and an economy genuinely local, which rises both from the local land and from the intelligence, skill and stewardship of the local people,” Berry explained. Berry continued, “We are dealing here with what seems to be a law: You cannot divide the land from the people, or detach the people from the land, without the gravest injury to both. To be preserved in human use, the land must be inhabited by people who are at-tached to it culturally and economically, who know how to care properly for it while they use it, and who want and are willing to care for it because they under-stand their dependence on it.” A workshop on solar energy solu-tions that can work in eastern Kentucky featured an informative presentation by Andy McDonald of Kentucky Solar Energy Partnership, and the inspiring exampleofElijahandGuylaineCollett,KFTC members who have installed their own solar array on a hillside above their

home in Leslie County. The Colletts’ story was recently featured in an article in the Lexington Herald Leader. “Solar en-ergy can work in eastern Kentucky,” declared Elijah Collett. “We are living proof of it.” (www.ken-tucky.com/2011/04/09/ 1701457/couple-thinks-so-lar-power-can.html). Inoneofthefinalwork-shop sessions of the day, participants heard from Jason Rutledge, a woods-man from southwestern Virginia who teaches and promotes a restorative ap-proach to forestry, includ-ing“worst-first”treeselec-tion and animal powered extraction. Individuals in-terested in learning more about sustainable logging with draft animals are en-couraged to attend a week-end training organized by Rutledge on September 10-11 in Lexington, Virginia. (http://www.southern-draftanimaldays.com/) Reflecting on the day, long-time KFTC member Randy Wilson noted, “I think it was a good idea to encourage folks to eat lunch with someone they didn’t know. I sat down with a couple of guys from Floyd County, and they talked about energy saving strategies for people living in mobile homes. It was fascinating and really addressed where

David Wagoner of Nicholas County led a workshop on Community Sup-ported Agriculture (CSAs). Wagoner owns Three Springs Farm with his wife and daughter. See: www.threespring-sfarmky.com/

Jessica Heintzelman of Floyd County with her family attended Growing Appalachia.

most of our people are at: making deci-sions between paying the electric bill or buying food. “Onanencouragingnote,theysaidthat the flea market in Prestonsburgsells solar panels like hot cakes! I want to talk more with them. The right ques-tions and answers lie within us right here where we live.”

Things to do this summer:

1. Support the communities of Benham, Lynch, Teges, and Stacy Branch.

�. Attend local chapter meetings, Mountain Justice Summer Camp, and the March on Blair Mountain.

3. Celebrate with KFTC 30 years of Action For Justice on August �� at the KFTC Birthday Party.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page 11

Local UpdatesCentral Kentucky chapter continues strong work on diverse issues March and April have been very exciting for the chapter. Here is a brief snapshot of some of their work:

UK Rising Inspired by the work of the Ken-tucky Rising group that occupied the governor’sofficeforfourdaysinFebru-ary, students in KFTC’s University of Kentucky student group held an event on campus to raise awareness of moun-taintop removal coal mining (MTR) and its impacts on Kentuckians. The goal was to illustrate the connec-tions between UK students in Lexington and the people living in eastern Ken-tucky. More than 40 people participated, ate chili and listened to the speakers and musicians. The event began with live funkmusicbyOneWayOutandaveganchili dinner prepared by the students. After the meal, Martin Mudd of Lou-isville spoke about his experience at the sit-in inGovernor Beshear’s officewithKentucky Rising. Ada Smith of Whitesburg shared her experience as a young person from east-ern Kentucky. Smith organizes and em-powers Appalachian youth through her work in the STAY Project and the Appala-chian Media Institute. She urged listeners to raise their voices against the injustices caused by destructive mining that are happening to communities such as hers. She spoke of health hazards posed to the people of her community and as a result, how many youth want to leave. Finally, KFTC member Stanley Stur-

gill of Lynch (Harlan County) told the group his story as a retired coal miner and mine inspector and how the rise of surface mining, especially MTR, is de-stroying Kentucky.

Week in Washington Four members from the Central Kentucky chapter, Abigail Dority, Erika Skaggs, Christian Torp and Jerry Moody, joined 150 people from 23 states to travel to Washington, D.C. to lobby legislators in support of the Appalachian Restora-tion Act and the Clean Water Protection Act. Participants met with staff from 200 HouseandSenateoffices.This includedmeetings with 20 members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Com-mittee, 11 members of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and with House and committee leadership. The number of cosponsors for the Clean Water Protection Act has already climbed to 66 members and is growing rapidly because of this lobbying effort. Folks met with roughly half of all Senate offices, including five members of theEnvironment and Public Works Commit-tee and 15 members of the Senate leader-ship.

Fundraising and Membership recruitment On March 28 the chapter held apie bake-off fundraiser. More than 20 people came out to member Jack Cofer’s house to talk about KFTC’s work to end mountaintop removal coal mining and to

UK KFTC members Jared Flanery and Elaine Alvey speak at UK Rising to stu-dents about the need for a transitional economy in Eastern Kentucky.

Lands Unsuitable for Mining petition at Teges in Clay County Last month, Len Peters, secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet, denied a Lands Unsuitable for Mining Petition from residents in the com-munity of Teges in Clay County. They had asked the cabinet to declare the watersheds of Upper and Lower Teges Creeks and Crane Creek off-limits to surface mining. The total area would have covered 8,241 acres. Peters did not agree with any of the allegations in the petition, includ-ing that the mining in the area would threaten the water quality of the South

Fork of the Kentucky River, one of the few rivers in eastern Kentucky that still has several species of fresh water mus-sels, some of which are on the state’s endangered and threatened species list. The residents of Teges who filedthe petition would like to thank the hundreds of people who signed on in support of their Lands Unsuitable for Mining Petition. They are currently weighing their options before deciding what their next steps will be to protect their homes and community.

sample pies. There were many delicious sub-missions including, but not limited to, derby pie, cheesecake, pie on a stick, apple-bacon-cheddar pie, chocolate pie, shaker lemon pie and pumpkin pie. The winning prize was a beautiful print gen-erously donated by Kentucky artist and KFTC member Jeff Chapman-Crane. The bake-off resulted in one new member, $117, and a ton of fun. Also, in an effort to connect better with folks who join KFTC, the chapter

drafted a welcome letter and sent it out to all 50 new members who’ve joined the Central Kentucky chapter since the beginning of the year. The letter shared KFTC’s mission and goals, spoke about what it means to be a member of KFTC, and highlighted opportunities to get in-volved.

If you would like to be involved in the central Kentucky chapter, please contact the local organizer Ondine Quinn at 859-276-0563 or ondine@kftc.org.

Orion magazine hosted webinar focused on what activists need to create changeKFTC members Teri Blanton and Wendell Berry, as well as Tim De-Christopher, on March 12 led an online conversation about the changes needed to stop mountaintop removal. The event was hosted by Orion magazine. You can listen to a recording at www.orionmagazine.org/community.

Wendell Berry Receives National Humanities Medal From President ObamaOn April 2, KFTC member Wendell Berry was one of ten individuals from across the country who received a National Humanities Medal from President Obama in Washington D.C. He was cited as being chosen for his achievements as a poet, novelist, farmer, and conserva-tionist.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page 1�

for the day of action. Marchers should bring their own tents and sleeping bags. It is possible to reserve a cot to sleep on if you sign up early. If staying in a hotel is necessary, those arrangements are possible, but you’ll need to pay for your own room, and transportation to and from the campsite will be challenging.

• There will be lots of logistical sup-port. Each morning, bags and camping equipment will be loaded onto buses and vans and driven to the next camp-site. All meals will be provided through-out the march and on the day of the rally. At the end of the rally, marchers will be able to catch a ride back to their cars inCharleston.Organizers are alsoplanning to provide activities for chil-dren during the evening programs and day of action.

• Keeping costs low. The suggested cost to participate is $30 for youth, $50 for a standard donation, and $100 or more for peoplewhoarefinanciallycomfortable.These fees cover the costs of all food, bus/van transportation, and trainings, along with other planning expenses. Participants are expected to pay for their

Appalachia Rising march...(continued from page 9) own parking in Charleston, which will

cost $3/day/car. Everyone is expected to provide their own transportation to the march or the rally, plus bring their own tent and sleeping bag. (Cots and other camping equipment may be avail-able to borrow if you contact organizers early.)

• Scholarships are available. The Alli-ance For Appalachia has set aside some funds to cover the registration costs for individuals who belong to KFTC or any of the other Alliance groups. To request a scholarship, please register as soon as possible at www.marchonblairmoun-tain.org Check the box that says you are a member of an organization that belongs to the Alliance for Appalachia. • Non-violence training and safety pre-cautions. Nonviolence trainings will be offered on Saturday, May 28 in Hazard, Kentucky; Sunday, June 5 in Charleston, WV, and Friday, June 10 in Logan, WV. All participants are expected to attend one of these sessions. More information about guidelines for participation and important safety precautions can be found at the following site:www.marchonblairmountain.org

Here’s how organizers of this event describe the significance of Blair Mountain in the history of the labor movement and the movement to end mountaintop re-moval mining:

Blair Mountain in Logan County, West Virginia, was the site of the largest open class war in U.S. history. In 1921, after a generation of violent suppression andexploitationofthepeopleinthesoutherncoalfieldsofWestVirginia,15,000coal miners rebelled in an attempt to overthrow the control of coal barons. They met the anti-union forces of the coal-operator army on Blair Mountain and the surrounding ridges. The battlefront was roughly 15 miles long, and more thanonemillionroundswereestimatedtohavebeenfiredoverthecourseofthefive-daybattle.Bothsideswereheavilyarmedwithmachineguns,high-pow-eredrifles,andexplosives.Theanti-unionforcesevenemployedairplanesforreconnaissance as well as for dropping homemade bombs on the miners. With the battle raging in the hills and hollows around Blair Mountain, fed-eraltroopswerecalledinandwereabletopeacefullystoptheconflictwithoutashotfired.Theminersdispersedandwentbacktotheirhomes,andthenewsreporters returned to their editors. The battle received above-the-fold coverage in major newspapers of the day, including the New York Times. But soon, the battle faded into obscurity, and over time has been largely forgotten. So today, although this battle was the largest insurrection after the Civil War, it is not taught in our schools and most Americans and even West Virginians haveneverheardaboutit.Evenworse,thebattlefieldisseverelythreatenedbyencroaching surface mining operations, and the fate of this remarkable place is uncertain.

Canary Project UpdateSixth Annual Week-in-Washington brings new faces to the fight Working with the Alliance for Ap-palachia, KFTC members had a very successful Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington in early April:

• 21 KFTC members along with more than 130 people from 23 different states spent three days on Capitol Hill educating members of Congress on the polluting effects of mountaintop removal coal mining.

• Participants had more than 200 meet-ings with representative and senate offices.

• Citizen lobbyists ended the week with a total of 72 cosponsors for the Clean Water Protection Act, HR 1375.

• Participants met with every agency that has a hand in regulating moun-taintopremovalandvalleyfills.

Although seasoned participants made the annual trek to Washington D.C., KFTC sent numerous members whoattendedtheirfirstWeek-in-Washi-

ington and their first time to lobby elected leaders.

Member Profile: Tiffany Skiles AfterwatchinganAppalshopfilmMountain Majesty in one of her classes at Cordia School in Perry County, Tif-fany Skiles began to verbally work through with peers and teachers her understanding of the relationship be-tween mining companies and commu-nities. Based on her interest, she was asked to get on a call with Cordia’s director and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about a proposed mountaintop removal mine in their watershed of Lott’s Creek. She also went with other KFTC members to the Week in Wash-ington recently to lobby Congress for legislation that would protect water in her community. “I was just really interested to see what it was about. I had never lobbied before. I wanted to learn new things

and meet new people,” Skiles shared. “I really enjoyed meeting other states’ representatives, telling them about my community, and hearing their views on what’s going on here.” Skiles is an 18-year-old senior at Cordia School and works as a peer tutor after school, so she spends the majority of her time in Lott’s Creek. If the EPA approves the valley fillpermits for this Leeco Coal mine (Ken-tucky officials have already approvedthe mining permit), Skiles will have a processing plant and coal train across the street from her house. Her road will be the primary coal haul road, and the stripmine and valley fillwill be rightbehind her house, all within several hundred feet. It will be one of the largest new mines in Kentucky and involve six valleyfills. Rather than discourage her, this has motivated Skiles. “I want to see everyone more orga-nized and productive. We’ve got to be more dependent on renewable energies and moving toward bigger and better things. Young people have to be a huge part of this work because we are the future. We totally affect how the future plays out.” Skiles plans to continue her educa-tion through Hazard Community and

Technical College. She wants to go into themedicalfieldofradiologyandstayclose to home. “I don’t want to move away. We need to share and take part in our heri-tage here. We’ve got to make our home better.”

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page 13

Renew East Kentucky UpdateClean Energy Collaborative gets off to an encouraging start As part of the settlement agree-ment that KFTC and allies entered into with East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) to cancel the proposed coal-burning Smith plant, a collaborative working group was established. The agreement calls this the Demand-Side Management (DSM) / Renewable En-ergy Collaborative, or the Clean Energy Collaborative, for short. The Collaborative consists of a vot-ing representative from EKPC, KFTC, Kentucky Environmental Foundation, Sierra Club, each of EKPC’s 16 distribu-tioncooperatives, theAttorneyGener-al’s office, Gallatin Steel (also a partyto the Smith settlement agreement), Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED), Kentucky Solar Partnership, and Fron-tier Housing. The Collaborative is chaired by David Mitchell of EKPC, with KFTC member Tona Barkley serving as vice-chair. KFTC’s representative to the Col-laborative is Steve Wilkins, a member from Madison County. At the firstmeeting onMarch 29,

members of the Collaborative approved the group’s charter and prepared to delve into energy issues that affect Ken-tucky. Wilkins presented the perspec-tive of the public interest groups to the full group and was well-received. Members of the Collaborative divided up into committees to con-sider issues related to renewable and demand-side management (DSM) programs. Using a consensus deci-sion-making process, the Collaborative will evaluate and recommend ways to expand deployment of renewable and DSM options, and promote collabora-tion in implementing those ideas. The group will meet at least quar-terly for the next two years. “I believe we’re off to an excel-lent start,” said Barkley. “It was excit-ing to see this smart group of people – knowledgeable and experienced in a wide variety of areas, and coming from different points of view – begin our work together on how to better save energy and add renewable energy gen-eration.” Each Collaborative meeting will

Steve Wilkins, KftC’s representative to the clean energy collaborative, delivers a statement on behalf of the public interest groups.

have time set aside for public comment. At this introductory meeting, several members of the public spoke, encour-aging the Collaborative and suggesting topics to consider for study. Ted Withrow, a KFTC member from Rowan County, thanked Collaborative members. “We, as cooperative mem-

bers, look forward to working together in solving our energy issues. We can solve our energy needs through coop-eration. I have high expectations of this Collaborative in that it can lead us into a new power future.” The next Collaborative meeting is scheduled for July 19.

Members are encouraged to attend electric co-ops’ annual meetings It’s that time of year again: From late spring to summer, the rural electric co-ops hold their member annual meetings. The purpose of these meetings – some as festive as county fairs, others more business-like – is to inform rural electric co-op members about the state of their co-op and to attend to any business that needs a vote from the membership. Anyone who is a customer of a ru-ral electric co-op (sometimes called an RECC) is a member-owner of the co-op, and is supposed to have a say in some of the decisions that are made by the coop-erative. Each year, KFTC encourages mem-bers to attend their co-ops’ annual meet-ings in order to learn more about how the co-op is run, to engage with the staff and board of the co-op, and to increase democratic participation in the co-op. In years past, KFTC has encouraged members to talk with their board mem-bers about the proposed coal-burning Smith plant. But now that project has been cancelled, it’s time to start having good conversations about increased

investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Each co-op listed on this page is part of the Clean Energy Collaborative, and the annual meetings provide an opportunity for members to thank their co-op representatives for participating and encourage them to work to make the outcome of the collaborative a great one that will help Kentucky. If you attend your co-op annual meeting, here are some topics and ques-tions you might bring up with co-op management or board members.

• Let them know you are excited or encouraged by the Clean Energy Col-laborative with EKPC (called the DSM/Renewable Energy Collaborative) and thank them for their participation in that group.

• Ask what the co-op is doing to increase participationinenergyefficiency,orde-mand-side management, programs. Let them know that it is important for the co-op to seriously invest time and resources

into these programs to offset the need for any expensive future power plants.

• If you’re a Jackson Energy, Big Sandy RECC,GraysonRuralElectric,orFlem-ing-Mason RECC member, you can ask how the How$mart program is going. How$mart is an on-bill financing pro-gram in which the co-ops receive funds from MACED in order to help co-op members perform energy efficiency upgrades. The upgrades help members save energy and save money on their bills, and the members pay back the cost of the upgrades on their utility bill with those savings. How$mart is a two-year pilot project that will serve 200 - 300 homes in these four co-ops. Ask what the response has been to the program so far, or how members can participate in the program.

• If your co-op is not a How$mart par-ticipant, you can still have a conversa-tion about on-bill financing. Let themknow that you’d love to see your co-op participate in the program at the end of the two-year pilot phase.

Big Sandy May 19Bluegrass Energy June 2Clark Energy May 10Cumberland Valley June 3Farmers TBA Fleming Mason May 26GraysonRuralElectric May 12Inter-County May 13Jackson Energy June 30Licking Valley May 20Nolin June 10OwenElectric June 24Salt River Electric June 6Shelby Energy June 21South Kentucky June 23Taylor County RECC TBA

For exact meeting times and locations, contactyourco-op’smainoffice.Or,findtheir phone number on your utility bill or contact Sara Pennington at (606) 276-9933 or sara@kftc.org for more information.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page 14

Renew East Kentucky UpdateKFTC’s Renew East Kentucky campaign goes to Washington Since the coal-burning Smith plant proposed by the East Kentucky Power Cooperative was cancelled last fall, KFTC members are focusing their work in the rural electric cooperatives on a campaign called Renew East Ken-tucky. A full description of the campaign and KFTC’s strategy will be published in the next issue of balancing the scales. In brief, it is a body of work with primary strategies of grassroots orga-nizing, communications and political pressure to bring about an aggressive investmentinenergyefficiencyandlo-cal renewable energy in the rural elec-tric co-ops served by EKPC as a means to create good local jobs, to help those most vulnerable to rising utility rates, and to kick-start the transition in Ap-palachia to a healthy and sustainable economy. Renew East Kentucky will need leadership from the local cooperatives, political support from the local to the state levels, coordination among many entities from community colleges to affordable housing groups, and an infusion of resources from a variety of places including funding from the fed-eral government.

OnApril 26 - 29, KFTC took theRenew campaign to Washington, D.C. to speak with federal agencies and leg-islators about what they need to do to help Renew East Kentucky. KFTC member Cindy Shepherd of Clay County and KFTC organizer Sara Pennington attended an Environmen-tal Justice Conference hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and other federal agencies. As part of that con-ference, they were able to meet face-to-face with key administrators in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utility Service and the Appalachian Regional Commission. “As I introduced myself and told the agencies about my home and the love and connection my son has to it and the joyhefinds inplaying in thecreeks and hiking the mountains, it was impossible for me to hold back the tears,” said Shepherd, whose com-munityofOneidaisrapidlybeingdev-astated by mountaintop removal coal mining. “The thought that my son’s home place, a place that we all hold so dear, could one day be destroyed, was too much for a mother to fathom. And so we told the agencies how important

it is for them to invest in coal-impacted communities and about our overall plan to Renew East Kentucky. “We also told them how we need a concentrated effort in job training so local folks will be the ones getting the jobs created by this plan. We developed good initial relationships and will have the opportunity to carry on this con-versation with the agencies in the com-ing months.” Shepherd also was able to meet with staff of her U.S. Representative, Hal Rogers, as well as with staff from the offices of Representatives Ben ChandlerandEdWhitfield.Sheaskedfor the support of federal legislation thatwouldmakeon-billfinancing forenergyefficiencyupgrades–amecha-nism that would help co-op members avoid the hurdle of the up-front costs or loans for the upgrades. A bill, titled Rural Star, passed the House but not the Senate last year and must be re-introduced in this Congress. All the congressional staff members said they thought such a bill sounds like a great idea and would be willing to work on it later this year. For more on how KFTC took the mountains to The Hill and how the

KFTC member Cindy Shepherd lobbied in Washington D.C. on behalf of the Renew East Kentucky campaign.

Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance Update

Renew East Kentucky campaign was received in Washington, D.C., read Shepherd’sfullreflectiononthetriponKFTC’s blog at: www.kftc.org/shep-herd.

Collaboration at research conferences focuses on health of Appalachia KFTC members from eastern Ken-tucky contributed towards building a region-wide research agenda at the Appa-lachianCommunity&EcosystemsHealthSummit. Approximately 100 researchers, sci-entists and community members, mostly from the Central Appalachian region, gathered at the summit sponsored by the Eastern Kentucky University Environ-mental Research Institute and Wheeling Jesuit University. Participants collaboratively created research and data priorities in several topic areas, including community health impacts of fossil fuel extraction, water, the true cost of coal and creating economies that sustain communities. The negative impacts that coal min-ing is having on the region’s community health and the environment and the re-sulting lack of economic diversificationwas a constant focus of group discussion. During the summit, West Virginia

University’s Dr. Michael Hendryx said that his studies show that all of the combined problems found in coal min-ing areas including poverty, pollution, unemployment, stress, etc. result in about 11,000 extra deaths a year. Relying on the extensive academic andscientificknowledgeintheroom,thegroup also began compiling a list of stud-ies already in existence on community and ecosystems health in Central Appala-chia. KFTC participants will continue developing this regional study compila-tion and identifying research gaps going forward.OnememberexpressedadesiretotakethisinformationtoGovernorBes-hear.

Did you know?Studies show that people who live near heavy mountaintop removal coal mining and thus near streams heavily polluted by mining activities are more likely to die from the following types of cancer:• Respiratory • Digestive • Urinary • Breast

KySEA Meeting Announcement

KFTC members are welcome at the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alli-ance meeting on Tuesday, May 24 from 10 to 4 p.m. at the Northside Library in Lexington to:• Review KySEA activities over the last year,• Discuss what we learned from the 2011 General Assembly,• Make important decisions about this year’s strategy and activities.

All KFTC members are welcome. Contact Nancy Reinhart at 502-589-3188 or nancy@kftc.org for more details.

“All of the combined problems found in coal mining areas including poverty, pollution, unemployment, stress, etc. result in about 11,000 extra deaths a year.” - Dr. Michael Hendryx

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011 Page 1�

Economic Justice UpdateFairness in Taxation Act and The People’s Budget: two good solutions While U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and oth-ers in the Congressional House leader-ship pursue cuts to important functions of our federal government, others are offeringsolutions.Onesuchsolutionisthe Fairness in Taxation Act, a federal tax bill that KFTC supports. In a letter outlining KFTC support of the legislation to Kentucky’s Congres-sional delegation, KFTC Chairperson Steve Boyce wrote:

“Before we became Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, KFTC was the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition. We’ve long supported budget and revenue policies that would move us forward toward the Kentucky we all want, and that we can create for ourselves – a Kentucky whose communities are safe and healthy and can provide ordinary Ken-tuckians in all parts of the state opportunity for excellent education and secure jobs. “We can create this Kentucky. But this Kentucky doesn’t happen without the ade-quate investment of public dollars in quality education, healthcare, safe neighborhoods, and sound infrastructure – a responsibility that should be shared equitably among all of us.

“Passing the Fairness in Taxation Act is an important step toward rebuilding our economy and stabilizing Kentuckians’ lives.” BowlingGreenmemberDanaBeas-ley Brown shares in the frustration that many people feel about the disconnect between elected leaders’ voiced concern over the deficit andnational debt, andtheir commitment to tax cuts for corpo-rations and the wealthiest residents. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Rep. Rogers and the House don’t have to limit the debate to debt and draconian cuts,” Beasley Brown pointed out. “Con-gress can choose revenue reform as a long-term solution.” Currently, federal income tax rates increase with income, but only up to $373,000. The top tax bracket begins with incomes of $373,000 or more. So, taxable household income of $400,000 is taxed at the same rate as taxable house-hold income of $400,000,000. The Fairness in Taxation Act would add new tax brackets for income start-ing at $1 million and end with a $1 billion bracket, with stair-stepped rate increases as income levels rise. The act would also treat capital Rep. Rogers and

the federal budget As Congress continues its tax and budget discussions, KFTC members have noted that some in Congress seem unwilling to take up revenue reforms. Rep. Hal Rogers, as chair of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, has a key leadership role in the House’s bud-get proposals. This chart to the right, from the Center for American Progress, lists (left column) 10 safeguards from the federal government to ensure that every family has access to safe housing, good health, job training, and educational opportuni-ties for our children. Additional valu-able safeguards that aren’t on this list include the EPA and its ability to protect Kentucky’s water. The right-hand column is a list of some of the more egregious federal tax breaks, and their cost to the federal budget. Among them is the federal estate tax, the phase-out of which has siphoned millions of dollars from Kentucky’sGeneralFund,aswell,overthelastfiveyears.Thesearetaxcutsthatwere supported – fought for, even – by the House Republicans with Rep. Rog-ers’ leadership.

The People’s Budget House’s (Ryan’s) Budget

In short Strengthens the role of government in closing the income gap and providing a social safety net. Reduces the deficit by raising revenue and targeted spending cuts.

Relies on private sector to spur economic growth and employment using a trickle down approach. Reduces deficit solely through spend-ing cuts that also have to offset significant tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.

Revenues and Taxes

Shifts tax burden towards higher income earners and corporations

Decreases taxes for wealthy and corporations

Investment Emphasizes public invest-ment as the engine for job creation and economic growth, with $1.� trillion in new investments by �0�1

Limits public investments with $1.8 trillion in cuts to non-military discretionary invest-ments by �0�1.

Health Care and Social Safety Net

Maintains our federal gov-ernment’s role in creating a strong social infrastructure.

Limits the ability of our fed-eral government to maintain its established functions

Military and Security

Makes significant cuts ($2.3 trillion by 2021) in annual mili-tary spending and ends the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in FY �01�.

Limits the ability of our fed-eral government to maintain its established functions

Government Maintains the role and func-tions of our federal govern-ment

$�00 billion in cuts to security spending by �0�1

Reduces the deficit by…

$4.7 trillion by 2021 $1.6 trillion by �0�1

gains and dividend income as ordinary income, but only for households earning more than $1 million. If enacted in 2011, the Fairness in Taxation Act would raise more than $78 billion. The handful of households that would be impacted are the same house-holds that have disproportionately benefitedfromtheBush-erataxcutsthatwere recently extended. The Fairness in Taxation Act (H.R.1124) was introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois on March 16. Since then, it’s been supported by sev-eral of KFTC’s national allies, including Citizens for Tax Justice and United for a Fair Economy, and cosponsored by 11 representatives, including Kentucky’s Rep. John Yarmuth.

The People’s Budgeet The Fairness in Taxation Act is part of a proposal that stands in stark contrast to Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget. The Con-gressional Progressive Caucus recently introduced The People’s Budget, a plan

that KFTC’s Economic Justice Commit-tee is excited to learn more about. Below is a chart that compares The People’s Budget with the budget that the U.S. House recently passed. This chart is an abbreviated version of a chart from the National Priorities Project, with additional data from the Congressional BudgetOffice.Youcanfindthefullchartin“DefiningtheFY2012BudgetDebate”on the National Priorities Project’s web-site, www.nationalpriorities.org. The People’s Budget would reduce thedeficitnearlythreetimesmorethanthe House GOP budget between 2012and 2021, while reducing income in-equality in the U.S., which is at its high-est level since the 1920s. These two proposals represent so-lutions that move the nation toward a federal tax and budget system that is re-sponsible, allows everyone to contribute according to their means, and moves the U.S. toward positive national goals and priorities.

balancing the scales, May 11, 2011Page 16

Happy 30th Birthday KFTC!Save-The-Date, We are throwing a party!

Saturday August 27, 2011Cathedral Domain, near Irvine

Family Reunion, Games, Dinner, Stories, and 500 of your closest KFTC Family Members. Coming Soon: Registration and Details

KFTC and SOCM Staff Exchange: What current staff members do you see? Can you find the KFTC member who was recently in an award winning

documentary about her community?

Calendar of EventsMay 17 Northern Kentucky chapter meeting,7 pm, 25 W 7th Street Covington,

KY. Email Joe@KFTC.org or call 859-380-6103.

May 17 Perry County chapter meeting, 6 pm in Hazard; contact Colleen Unroe for more information, Colleen@kftc.org or 606-632-0051.

May 19 Central Kentucky chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Diocese Mission House (on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and 4th Street) in Lexington.

May 19 Rowan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Morehead.

May 20 Louisville Loves Mountains, see ad at left for details.

May 22 Central Kentucky Chapter safe restroom survey, 2-4 p.m. Contact On-dine@KFTC.org for more details.

May 23 Madison County chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at Berea College Appalachian Center (205 N. Main St., Berea)

May 24 Western Kentucky chapter meeting, 6:30 pm - 8 pm Universal Uni-tarian Church, 2033 Nashville Rd.

June 2 Harlan County chapter meeting, 6 p.m. in Room 219 of Southeast Community College’s Appalachian Center in Cumberland.

June 2 Scott County chapter meeting, 7 p.m., at the Georgetown Public Li-brary. Email Dave@KFTC.org or 859-420-8919 for more information or to volunteer.

June 4 Madison County chapter Friend-Raiser, see the ad on page 6 for more details or contact Carissa@KFTC.org.

June 5 Central Kentucky chapter safe restroom survey, 2-4 p.m. Contact On-dine@KFTC.org for more details.

June 7 Letcher County chapter meeting. 6-7 p.m., Jenkins City Lake Picnic Shed, contact Willa at 606-632-0051 for more information.

June 11 Voter Empowerment Strategy Meeting, Noon-4 pm. Location TBD Email Dave@KFTC.org or 859-420-8919 for more information.

June 13 Jefferson County chapter meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Main Public Li-brary in the Board Room. (301 York Street).

June 13 Floyd County chapter meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Martha Catholic Church near Prestonsburg.

June 21 Northern Kentucky chapter meeting,7 pm, 25 W 7th Street Covington, KY. Email Joe@KFTC.org or call 859-380-6103.

Aug. 27 Happy 30th Birthday KFTC! All day family reunion/birthday celebrat-ing 30 years of Action for Justice. Cathedral Domain, Irvine KY. Stay tuned for more information and details about this fun event.