The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions

View Original

Cleanest water in the region isn't good enough for the EPA

There's good news coming out of Frankfort today for thirsty Kentuckians - and bad news for the delusional few who still believe the Environmental Protection Agency is necessary to ensure sound environmental practices in Kentucky.

According to the Kentucky Division of Water's 2012 Annual Report, Kentucky has some of the highest-quality drinking water in the country. In a state whose citizens mine their rolling hills for coal to power 93% of its electricity needs, that's a report to be proud of.

In fact, 95% of the population served with public drinking water in Kentucky have access to consistently high-quality H2O. Only Illinois can boast higher water quality standards in the region.

Since a state like Kentucky is home to some of the purest thirst-quenching liquids in the nation, one immediately wonders why the EPA has put the cross-hairs on our ole Kentucky home. Wouldn't federal resources be better spent on a state like North Carolina, where less than 80% of citizens enjoy access to high-quality drinking water? Why is the fact that Kentucky is home to one of the most valuable natural resources in the world enough of an excuse for the EPA to arm itself and march into the Bluegrass, instead of the Tar Heel State?

I'm sure there are perfectly logical answers to these dumbfounding questions that the EPA is simply too busy to share with us.