Kentucky Resources Council

08/27/2026

There’s still time to register, but don’t dally: https://bit.ly/NewNuclearRenaissance

TOMORROW 8/28: Join KRC and Louisville Climate Action Network for A New Nuclear Renaissance: Separating the hype from reality with David Kinloch, President of Appalachian Hydro Associates. Drawing on decades of experience in the electric power industry, Kinloch will examine the economics behind today's push for nuclear energy, the role of public subsidies, and why he believes another attempt to revive the industry risks diverting investment from lower-cost renewable energy resources that are available today.

08/26/2026

KRC and allies have urged EPA to withdraw a proposal that would eliminate minimum public participation requirements for air pollution permits — the kind often used for data centers, power plant expansions, and other industrial facilities. A coalition of more than 200 environmental, health, and community groups signed on in support of our comments.

For more than 50 years, federal rules have required public notice and a comment period before these permits are issued. If the EPA gets its way, that could disappear, leaving it up to individual states whether communities get any say at all. Read more: https://bit.ly/CoaltionEPAPublicParticipation

08/21/2026

TeraWulf says it will comply with Gov. Beshear’s data center executive order as it moves forward with plans for a 482-megawatt facility in Hancock County.

Important questions still remain, however, about who will pay for the electricity and transmission infrastructure needed to serve the project. KRC Senior Attorney Byron Gary urged the Kentucky Public Service Commission to take a closer look at those costs and the project’s economic impacts.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4zmP4RU

08/20/2026

When a data center proposal lands on the table, what should local officials be asking?

Tech Policy Press takes a look at the questions communities should consider, from energy and water use to infrastructure, public participation and long-term accountability. Check out a host of resources available to local decision makers, including KRC’s Model Data Center Zoning Ordinance for Kentucky: https://bit.ly/4zGL9jc

08/20/2026

Join KRC's Tom FitzGerald THIS EVENING for this important discussion!

Comment REGISTER to join us.

"The strategy here is such an onslaught of changes to rules all at once that it's hard to keep up with them all," says Byron Gary, an attorney with the Kentucky Resources Council.

KRC has been sounding the alarm on Mill Creek for years, and their analysis is stark: the state could save ratepayers $2.6 billion by mid-century by transitioning off coal and gas, without raising costs.

With Kentucky home to at least 87 coal ash sites and no independent state law, proposed federal changes could let regulators shortcut cleanup protections entirely, leaving residents to challenge utilities site by site.

Join us Thursday, August 20 for a live conversation with journalist Austyn Gaffney and Tom Fitzgerald, longtime lawyer and former director with the Kentucky Resources Council. Moderated by Bryce Cracknell.

Decades of Coal Ash: Living in the Shadow of Mill Creek
Live event | Thursday, August 20, 6 PM CT / 7 PM ET

📺️ Comment REGISTER to join us.
Comment KENTUCKY to read the story.
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08/18/2026

KRC attorney and legislative agent Audrey Ernstberger has been appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to the Center for Pollution Prevention Board of Directors.

Congratulations, Audrey! 👏 We’re excited for her to bring her environmental law and policy expertise to the Center for Pollution Prevention. Read more: https://bit.ly/45z9ABe

08/15/2026

Nuclear power is back in the spotlight. As electricity demand grows and data centers drive calls for more generation, the Trump administration and Big Tech are championing a new wave of nuclear development. But can the industry deliver on its promises, or is the excitement outpacing the economic and safety realities?

Join us Thursday, August 28, at 12pm for "A New Nuclear Renaissance? Separating Hype from Reality" with David Kinloch, President of Appalachian Hydro Associates. Drawing on decades of experience in the electric power industry, Kinloch will examine the economics behind today's push for nuclear energy, the role of public subsidies, and why he believes another attempt to revive the industry risks diverting investment from lower-cost renewable energy resources that are available today.

Register now: https://bit.ly/NewNuclearRenaissance

08/14/2026

As new data center proposals continue to pop up across Kentucky, communities are grappling with questions about how their cities and counties can zone and regulate these massive, energy-intensive facilities. 🤔

KRC Executive Director Ashley Wilmes spoke with Public News Service about those challenges, and how communities can use KRC’s model data center ordinance so they are not caught off-guard.

In rural Bell County, Kentucky, residents’ activism led to a two-year moratorium on data center construction, while other counties continue to grapple with how to zone and regulate the massive,

08/12/2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently finalized rule for hazardous waste combustors fails to require stronger pollution controls needed to protect nearby communities from toxic air emissions. Alongside partner organizations and represented by Earthjustice, KRC filed a Petition for Review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the rule's failure to meet Clean Air Act requirements for reducing hazardous pollutants, including mercury and other toxic metals.

These facilities emit thousands of tons of hazardous air pollution annually, increasing risks of cancer, respiratory illness, and other serious health impacts for nearby communities. KRC and its partners are seeking stronger standards that better protect public health and hold EPA accountable to the law. Full story: https://bit.ly/EPAHazardousWaste

08/11/2026

Kentucky Utilities plans to add 681 MW of new gas-fired capacity at the E.W. Brown Generating Station, which is situated on the banks of Lake Herrington near Harrodsburg. KU says the expansion is primarily needed for data center-driven load growth, yet it has made no commitment to reduce or retire the adjacent coal unit.

📢 A virtual public hearing before the Kentucky Division for Air Quality on the facility's draft Title V air permit is set for TOMORROW August 12 at 2:00 PM ET. Find the details and how to make an effective public comment: https://bit.ly/KUGasPlantHearing