Set of bills takes aim at Kentucky's energy sector once again

download

Our federal masters are at it again in their efforts to stifle one of Kentucky's most historic and important industries: our energy sector.

Last week, Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York and one of Kentucky's own, Rep. John Yarmuth, introduced H.R. 526, the Appalachian Health Emergency Act. If passed, this shoot-first, ask-questions-later-bill would completely ban any new mountaintop removal mining permits until a study outlining the health implications of such practices is completed by the feds. So much for innocent until proven guilty, eh?

The bill would also force current mining operations to submit a monthly report on pollution of waterways, air, soil - even noise pollution - to the feds. Of course, these reports and also the feds' impartial study will be funded by fining coal miners - who currently provide Kentucky with 93% of its electricity needs.

At least such proposals will have to go through an elected body before they become the one-size-fits-all law of the land, unlike the unilateral dictates of the Environmental Protection Agency currently costing Kentuckians billions per year.

Still, perhaps a bill similar to H.R. 526 should be passed outlawing any new pieces of federal legislation until the states complete a study showing the efficacy of Congress. One can dream...An even more disconcerting bill introduced recently hits much closer to home, because this one comes from our state legislators.

Legislators from Louisville and Lexington - areas of the commonwealth notoriously ignorant to the importance of coal country in western Kentucky and Appalachia - recently introduced House Bill 170. This would establish renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS) in the commonwealth and force utility companies to generate power using a higher percentage of costly and unproven energy sources, like wind and solar, in place of coal and natural gas.

Protecting the environment in the Bluegrass State should be a priority to all Kentuckians, but not if doing so means ignoring the substantial costs involved with RPS. For example, according to a report released last year from the Manhattan Institute, states that have mandated RPS have experienced significantly greater rises in the price of energy over the past decade. The study also finds that the states with the highest energy prices tend to be states requiring RPS.As shown  by the study, citizens should educate themselves of the costs of such green agendas before supporting. HB 170 is currently being reviewed by the Tourism Development & Energy subcommittee.