September 2014 - balancing the scales

VOLUME 33 NUMBER 6 SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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

Annual meeting focuses on empowering grassroots leaders

Change Service Requested

scales

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

BALANCING THE

pg. 8

Members elect new Executive Committee officers..............................................3

Members across Kentucky are #powerraising this fall...................................... 6

Louisville Metro Council passes resolution supporting voting rights............14

Lexington residents speak truth to power on housing issues..........................5

Kentuckians urge EPA to adopt strong Clean Power Plan.........................10

Let’s talk: building new economic power in Kentucky......................................... 15

2 | Balancing the Scales

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

KFTC STEERING COMMITTEE

Table of Contents Executive Committee Corner

Members elect new Executive Committee officers..........................................................................................3

Member Commentary Issue of gun violence needs to be addressed by KFTC................................................................................. 4 ‘Energy’ for county’s future ignited at Harlan community discussion...................................................... 4 Lexington residents speak truth to power on housing issues......................................................................5

Grassroots Fundraising Update Members across Kentucky are #powerraising this fall................................................................................... 6

Local Updates Wilderness Trace hosts great Barn Bash, gears up for fall............................................................................7 Rowan Chapter serves up beans and raises funds at annual music festival...........................................7

KFTC News Annual meeting focuses on empowering grassroots leaders...................................................................... 8 From the Grassroots to the Mountaintop: annual awards............................................................................. 9 Poet Spriggs shares her words, insights at KFTC annual membership meeting.................................. 9

Canary Project Update Kentuckians urge EPA to adopt strong Clean Power Plan..........................................................................10 General permits mean five more years of polluted streams........................................................................ 11 Judge blocks mining permit granted without landowners’ consent ...................................................... 12

Dana Beasley Brown, chair Carl Shoupe, vice chair Elizabeth Sanders, secretary-treasurer Tanya Torp, at-large member Sue Tallichet, immediate past chair

New Energy and Transition Update

Chapter Representatives

Economic Justice

Homer White, Scott County Christian Torp, Central Kentucky Lisa Montgomery, Rowan County Rick Traud, Northern Kentucky Ryan Fenwick, Jefferson County Alan Smith, Southern Kentucky Greg Sturgill, Harlan County Russell Oliver, Perry County Meta Mendel-Reyes, Madison County Gwen Johnson, Letcher County Nina McCoy, Big Sandy Lee Ann Paynter, Wilderness Trace Shane Ashford, Shelby County Alternates: Rosanne Fitts Klarer, Scott County; Sarah Martin, Central Kentucky; John Hennen, Rowan County; Ben Baker, Northern Kentucky; Nan Goheen, Jefferson County; Dora James and Jeanie Smith, Southern Kentucky; Clair Stines, Harlan County; Katie Pirotina, Perry County; Megan McKinney, Madison County; Herb Smith, Letcher County; John Rosenberg, Big Sandy; Leah Bayens, Wilderness Trace; Leslie McBride, Shelby County Balancing the Scales is published by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and mailed third class from Lexington, Kentucky. Reader contri­butions and letters to the editor should be sent to 250 Southland Drive Suite #4, Lexington, Ky, 40503 or tim@kftc.org. Subscriptions are $20/yr.

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Kentuckians meet leaders from every corner at Our Power ..................................................................... 13

Voting Rights Update Louisville Metro Council passes resolution supporting voting rights......................................................14

Senate considers constitutional amendment on campaign finance........................................................ 15 Let’s talk: building new economic power in Kentucky.................................................................................. 15 Growing a healthy democracy means growing our capacity: ..................................................................16 Calendar .........................................................................................................................................................................16

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I understand that this authority will remain in effect until cancelled or changed by reasonable notification to KFTC/ KY Coalition.

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Make checks payable to KFTC or the Kentucky Coalition and mail to: KFTC • P.O. Box 1450 • London, Ky. 40743-1450.

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 3

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CORNER

Members elect new Executive Committee officers The full membership voted at KFTC’s annual business meeting on August 24 to elect a diverse set of community leaders to serve as statewide officers for the next year.

To serve on the Executive Committee, a person must be a current member of KFTC, may not be an employee or immediate family member of an employee of KFTC or the Kentucky Coalition, and may not serve more than two consecutive one-year terms in the same position. Below is some information about the officers: Chairperson: Dana Beasley Brown was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Southern Kentucky KFTC Chapter. She served as statewide vice chair for two years and serves on KFTC’s Economic Justice Committee.

She is deeply involved in local efforts to improve the quality and affordability of housing in her community. Beasley Brown has spoken before several legislative committees and has been a guest on the KET program Kentucky Tonight about the need for fair tax reforms.

Vice-Chairperson: Carl Shoupe is a long-time member from Harlan County who has served several years on the KFTC Steering Committee. He is a former miner, mine worker organizer and Vietnam veteran. He was a major part of the planning for the Appalachia’s Bright Future conference in 2013 and is actively involved in organizing projects to follow up on the ideas and momentum from that event.

community in Lexington. She also serves on KFTC’s Leadership Development Committee. Torp started her own organization, Be Bold, which empowers young women and girls. She and her husband have opened their home, called Justice House, as a space for members of the community to come together for fellowship, support, social justice activism, and learning.

Secretary-Treasurer: Elizabeth Sanders lives in Whitesburg and is active in the Letcher County chapter. She has served on KFTC’s Steering Committee for the past three years.

Elizabeth also serves on KFTC’s New Energy and Transition Committee. Sanders works at Appalshop’s community run radio station, WMMT-FM. She has been an important part of the Stay Together Appalachian Youth project and the Central Appalachian Prisoner Support Network.

Immediate Past Chairperson: Sue Tallichet is an active member of the Rowan County chapter and KFTC Land Reform Committee and Litigation Team. She has served for a number of years on KFTC’s Steering Committee, including the past two years as chair. She is a frequent spokesperson about mountaintop removal mining and its impacts on land, water and people. She authored the book Daughters of the Mountain: Women Coal Miners in Central Appalachia.

At-Large Member: Tanya Torp is an active member of the Central Kentucky KFTC Chapter as well as the broader

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

FIELD OFFICES Louisville Elizabeth Adami, Jessica George, Jerry Hardt, JoAnna House, Alicia Hurle, and Carissa Lenfert 735 Lampton St. #202 Louisville, Ky 40203 502-589-3188

Left to right: Carl Shoupe, Elizabeth Sanders, Tanya Torp, Dana Beasley Brown and Sue Tallichet

Social media corner www.KFTC.org/facebook to find chapter Facebook pages, visit: www.kftc.org/links www.flickr.com/photos/KFTCphotos @KFTC @NKY_KFTC @ScottCoKFTC @MadCo_KFTC @EKY_KFTC

@JCKFTC @WT_KFTC @SoKyKFTC @VotingRightsKY @CanaryProject

Whitesburg Tanya Turner and Sara Pennington P.O. Box 463 Whitesburg, Ky 41858 606-632-0051 Central Kentucky Tim Buckingham, Jessica Hays Lucas, Beth Howard, Enchanta Jackson, Erik Hungerbuhler, and Heather Roe Mahoney 250 Plaza Drive, Suite 4 Lexington, Ky 40503 859-276-0563

Northern Kentucky Joe Gallenstein 640 Main Street Covington, Ky 41005 859-380-6103 Floyd County Jessie Skaggs 154 North Lake Drive Prestonsburg, Ky 41653 606-263-4982 Bowling Green Denney Breeding 270-779-6483 Berea Lisa Abbott, Beth Bissmeyer, Amy Hogg, and Kevin Pentz 140 Mini Mall Drive Berea, Ky 40403 859-756-4027

e-mail any staff member at firstname@kftc.org except for Jessica Hays Lucas, use jessicabreen@kftc.org; Beth Howard, use BethHoward@kftc.org; and Beth Bissmeyer, use BethBissmeyer@kftc.org Cover: “Family” photo at the 2014 Annual Membership Meeting at General Butler State Park.

4 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

MEMBER COMMENTARY

Issue of gun violence needs to be addressed by KFTC Dear Editor, With the KFTC Annual Meeting approaching, platform changes were discussed at the most recent Steering Committee meeting on Saturday, July 19. While most items discussed were merely changes in diction or updates, there was one proposal (via the Wilderness Trace Chapter) that would contain language on an issue not currently mentioned in the KFTC platform. While the new platform proposal “supported the right of gun ownership,” it did state support from KFTC for “sensible regulation of firearms.”

As I write this letter (August 1, 2014), there have already been 74 school shootings since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012 (that averages out to one each school week). The weekend we met in Shelbyville, there were actually 44 shootings in the city of Chicago alone. Given these statistics, it is easy to argue that this new language in the KFTC platform is both proactive and timely.

A closer look at our platform reveals KFTC statements of support that “promotes health and protects resources for the future,” and further states we will “fight to create a fair and just society that respects human and civil rights.” Given

this stance, an argument FOR the new proposal would seem not only a natural path, but almost an expected stance to take.

Even though Steering Committee members discussed that everyone was willing to concede support for gun rights, somewhat surprisingly, no action was taken on the proposal due to fear of potential backlash from both KFTC members and our supporters. The decision was made to table the issue for now and reconsider it (after a year of discussion) in 2015.

While I personally am not a gun owner, I do support the right to bear arms. Although I’m also not a “fan” of hunting, I have talked to Fish and Wildlife officials enough to believe there is a need for some hunting for population control; I just am not the one to do it.

Even with my support of the second amendment, I do believe it is time this state and this country get a handle on automatic weapons and multi-round “clips.” I’ll admit I have no great idea how to do this, but I would support any legislation (state or national) that attempts to regulate the purchase and ownership of these particular forms of firearms.

It occurred to me how interesting it is, going to a ran-

‘Energy’ for county’s future ignited at Harlan community discussion

By Jennifer McDaniels

The premise of the grant secured by LaFollette, “Sustainable Harlan,” was to utilize interviewing techniques to A collaboration of Southeast Kentucky Community & document residents’ concerns for Harlan County’s future as Technical College’s Appalachian Programming ignited ener- well as ideas to make their home more self-sufficient on the gy at the Kentucky Coal Museum July 31, with a photogra- heels of the coal industry’s decline. phy exhibit, theater, motivational speaking and a soup bean The photos of those interviewed and their documented dinner providing the backdrop for a community discussion views were displayed in the “Energy For Change” exhibit regarding Harlan County’s future. which was on display at the museum.

“Sustainable Harlan – Energy For Change,” an ARC Most interviewed agreed that while coal should conBrushy Fork Grant that was secured by tinue to be a Harlan County economic “For the past 100 years we SKCTC’s Archivist Larry LaFollette, player, there needs to be more diversificahave produced energy was the catalyst that created the evening tion of industry, more unity, and more resources for other people. of arts and activism. action.

It is now time to think of SKCTC’s Appalachian Program The views expressed in the exhibit energy as an image for the Director Robert Gipe and his students carried over into the evening’s comability to make creative also joined in with selected scene premunity discussion. Attending residents change within ourselves sentations from the ongoing commuspoke about the need for increased teamand our communities.” nity theater project “Higher Ground,” work in the fight to make Harlan County and Eastern Kentucky University film more sustainable, as well as the need to Larry LaFollette student Jason Edwards, who has ties to overcome fears regarding change.

Harlan County, facilitated a creative motivational speech LaFollette admitted the evening provided little time to presented by visiting Manhattan artist Jimmy Diresta. tackle the issue of “what’s next” for Harlan County, but told “It was one of the most important nights in Harlan the gathering “it was a start.”

County that I have observed in a while,” said Lynch resident “For the past 100 years we have produced energy reGreg Sturgill. sources for other people,” LaFollette said. “It is now time to “The community discussion that was generated regard- think of energy as an image for the ability to make creative ing our future was one of the most important discussions change within ourselves and our communities.” this county has had in a long time. I was very encouraged by the coming together of fresh ideas to help renew Harlan Jennifer McDaniels is the Harlan County Chapter Publicity County. It’s not going to be easy, but there were many here Coordinator. This article also appeared in the August 4 issue of tonight who appeared eager to take on the task.” the Harlan Daily Enterprise.

dom yard sale page on social media, that you’d be reported and eventually picked up by authorities rather quickly if you attempted to sell any prescription narcotics (Percocet, Oxycontin) on one of these sites. However, on Monday, July 21, I was able to find a Romanian weapon with a 60-round clip that was being sold by a young man who was only 18 years old. I shudder to think how dangerous a transaction like this could be.

Over the next year, I will be bringing up this issue at the Harlan County chapter’s meetings, and I urge all other chapters to do the same. We can work on the language – “supporting gun rights but also willing to support new, safer regulations on automatic weapons” – is my suggestion.

However we choose to say it, I hope next year we actually have the guts to add such language to the platform. I also hope in 2015 it remains a “proactive” move as opposed to a “reactive” one in response to a mass shooting closer to our home or hearts.

Greg Sturgill Lynch, Kentucky

Lessons from Wales will spark ideas for community development October 7 in Whitesburg, Kentucky.

As eastern Kentucky works to diversify its local economy, can thoughtful policies help build sustainable communities? Can eastern Kentucky learn from the experiences of other coal mining regions?

The coalfields of South Wales shut down 30 years ago, and former mining communities were forced to diversify their economy. As central Appalachian coal employment continues to decline, many are looking to Wales for ideas.

The public is invited to attend a forum to discuss sustainable development policies on Tuesday, October 7 at 7pm in the Appalshop Theater in Whitesburg.

At the October 7 forum, two visitors from Wales will speak about their work creating policies that support people living in mining communities. Dr. Hywel Francis is a Member of Parliament representing the Aberavon district, and Mair Francis is the founder of the Dulais Opportunity for Voluntary Enterprise, commonly known as the DOVE workshop.

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 5

MEMBER COMMENTARY

Lexington residents speak truth to power on housing issues

By Christian Torp Indentured servitude is supposed to be a relic of our country’s past, but a version of it is alive and well in the east end neighborhood of Lexington where tenants are working for $20 a day and paying hundreds of dollars to their employers for one-room apartments without air conditioning.

Gena Bigler, kyforward.com

We must, as always we do at KFTC, speak truth to power. On August 16, Central Kentucky members Christian and Tanya Torp welcomed Lexington City Council members, Mayor Jim Gray and State Senator Reggie Thomas into their home for their weekly community breakfast to listen and see the plight of our brothers and sisters in Lexington. After a hearty breakfast of waffles, pancakes, fruit, pastries, coffee and truth about Lexington’s living conditions, our guests were taken on a tour of unaffordable housing on Ohio Street and Elm Tree Lane not to talk, but to listen to impacted residents.

The Lexington City Council members who were able to clear their schedules and listen to the people – Chris Ford, Kevin Stinnett, Jennifer Mossotti and Steve Kay – arrived with the crowd not long after 9 and sat among their constituents. We ate, fellowshipped and then four of Lexington’s finest had a chance to share their stories.

KFTC member Greg Capillo began the presentation. In direct confrontation with the “Creative Cities” presumption of some mythical, monied and upwardly mobile “Creative Class,” Capillo detailed what he knows and lives as part of the creative youth of Lexington: there is no money and artists are struggling under two or three jobs.

He documented instances such as when the roof fell in on his roommate, major plumbing problems, missing toilets for months and more. In his own words: “We love Lexington. We love this city. I’ve made a conscious choice to put roots here [but] we’re between a rock and a hard place. We can’t afford to move.”

We then heard from a young single mother, nine months pregnant and with a truly heartbreaking story; despite her age she has seen more turmoil and oppression than

Will Dent and Rev. Anthony Everett talk with Mayor Gray.

Photo credit Steve Pavey

KFTC member Greg Capillo, Tanya Torp (back), Rheanna Roten, Faith Calhoun and Anna Caise shared their stories and experiences of homelessness and unaffordable housing with Lexington Mayor Jim Gray and other attendees.

Photo credit Steve Pavey

most do in a life time. She began by saying that she had a home, that she had a job, and then an abusive man came into her life. Within three months she went from homed and employed to homeless at the Salvation Army.

Her story then took a turn for the better. After more than a month at the Salvation Army, waking up every morning to slog through the seeming impossibility of finding a job and a home, she found work and a place that would accept her a as tenant, Coolivan Apartments.

Shortly thereafter she was notified that Transylvania University had bought her home and that she had to move within the month. As of the breakfast, after coming through so much and with a small child in tow, her life outlook was: “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Our next presenter, a college graduate, told us how she’s been living with friends for the last three years, homeless in other words. Out of work when her employer restructured, she currently holds three jobs to make ends meet – that is, to make ends meet while homeless. Looking for a home and a stake in our local community, she’s applied to the Habitat for Humanity program twice, once being told that she made too much, once being told that she made too little.

Finally we heard from someone in the “golden years” of life, a 66-year-old woman whose rent consumes 83 percent of her Social Security income and, though she has not once been late with her rent, has been told by her landlord that she can expect eviction proceedings to begin if her rent is as much as one day late.

The stories go all across the board. This isn’t a black or white, educated versus uneducated problem, the only difference possibly being that the educated are more in debt.

Around this time Mayor Gray arrived and we went on a

tour of our local community, where we heard of tenants who are paid $20 a day in wages to work for the owner, without worker’s comp, without insurance, without anything – $20 a day being the rent for a one-room hovel in a derelict building with no heat and no air conditioning. The no insurance is important. One of the people we spoke with was injured on the “job” – what then is he to do with no insurance, no medical care and no way to pay the $20 a day?

We heard how a family of three, all working at McDonald’s, were struggling to keep the home their father had bought 10 years before. Able to make the mortgage, just barely at the pittance they are paid, they found that UK had levied their home to pay their deceased father’s medical bills.

We heard from another who moved in November 2005. Her home previously was owned by Faith Community Housing, which was bought by the Lexington Housing Authority. Because of this, not only can she no longer afford rent, but when it’s all over and paid she won’t own the house, as she would have under the original agreement. Now she no longer has rights to the actual building and any repairs are added to the rent, even things like a popped screen or stopped-up toilet.

In August, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council gave first reading to an ordinance establishing an affordable housing trust fund. The ordinance was to receive its second reading on September 11, as Balancing the Scales went to press.

If the ordinance passes, it’ll be up to us to ensure that these monies are reasonably and responsibly used to help the least of these and that they don’t become another form of welfare for developers, gentrifiers and other assorted members of the capitalist class.

6 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING UPDATE

Members across Kentucky are #powerraising this fall During KFTC’s annual meeting in August, panel moderator Meta Mendel-Reyes chanted the question “What does leadership look like?” And members responded: “This is what leadership looks like!”

We talked about how we are all different, and we all have something to bring to the table for KFTC and for Kentucky.

We are Kentuckians. We are our best hope for change. We are also the leaders for which we’ve been looking, ALL OF US!!

But, how? When asked how KFTC has helped her to grow her power, Madison County member Megan Naseman noted: “Before I was involved with KFTC I had a hard time seeing how I could impact changes in the world beyond my own habits. I didn’t readily see a use for any of my skills in

work like this. Now I see that we’re all better off when we bring whatever skills or interests we have to the table.”

That’s what we’re about this fall at KFTC: empowering members to raise votes, members and dollars. By helping to match members with the perfect ways for them to get involved, we hope to grow our personal and collective power.

The goal is to empower voters, increase membership, develop leaders, and to fund these efforts so we can build the Kentucky we want to call home.

As Harlan County member Rutland Melton said, “KFTC has shown me the power in the people…” We have the people! We have the power!

This fall, there are five special ways for members to get involved in #powerraising at KFTC. The following infographic will help you figure out the best role(s) for you.

ACTION

#powerraising webinars This fall, how will you BE THE CHANGE? Participate in three 23-minute webinars to learn more about each opportunity to take action this fall.

Register at www.kftc.org/23webinar

Thursday, September 18, 12:03 pm Tuesday, September 23, 7:36 pm Saturday, October 11, 10:09 am

Questions: joanna@kftc.org or 502-532-1286.

START

WANT to be a

This infographic will help you navigate your way to the power raiser position that best suits you. Thank you for all Your effort in helping to build Do you enjoy new power in our state. using social media and have a large online network?

Do you like talking on the phone? no

no

power raiser?

no

Do you want or have time to interact with people face to face?

yes

Do you want to Invite others into your home?

yes

yes no

Critical support role involves written communication and administrative actions, such as data entry, that will help keep the power growing.

As needed this fall and beyond.

Donate as much or as little time as you like!

PHONE BANK If you love talking about KFTC, join our phone banks to call KFTC members and contacts to get out the vote, raise money, and build power.

3 hour shifts in October and/or November.

Power builders If you are active on social media, with a large online network, this is choose a personal goal, and promote it with friends, family and followers.

3 weeks, 2-5 hours a week.

Registering / turning out voters Empower Kentucky’s underrepresented communities by helping them to register AND vote. You’ll be using your conversational skills to canvass door-to-door, table at events and get people to the polls.

2-4 hours per shift.

yes

House Parties party for family and friends where you recruit members or volunteers, engage in voter education, raise money, discuss KFTC issues, mobilize for action, and have fun!

2-6 weeks of Party Planning + Party Time.

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 7

LOCAL UPDATES

Wilderness Trace hosts great Barn Bash, gears up for fall The Wilderness Trace KFTC Chapter hosted its second annual Barn Bash July 12 at Woodwind Farm in Junction City, where the music, weather, food and company made for a great combination to celebrate KFTC’s work over the past year and invite others to join in the fun of working for social change.

Local food was front-and-center as all the meat at this year’s event came from nearby Springfield producers Rising Sons Beef and River Run Farm & Pottery. Members felt that showcasing local food fit well with the chapter’s values and hope to continue grilling local meat at future events.

While people chowed down, they got to enjoy hearing two local KFTC members share their stories.

Jane Brantley shared that she first became involved four years ago through her interest in ending destructive mining practices and has marched multiple times in Frankfort on I Love Mountains Day. Other issues started to speak to Brantley, too, and she helped lead the effort to pass a local LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance in Danville. On June 9, Danville became the seventh city in Kentucky to pass a fairness ordinance.

Applauding the work of other chapter members, Brantley said, “Throughout the long process, members of the Wilderness Trace KFTC Chapter provided support and encouragement. When opportunities arose to help move the development of the ordinance forward, KFTC members attended city commission meetings and many spoke eloquently in favor of fairness.”

Brantley ended with a call for people to join KFTC: “By becoming a member of KFTC, you make your voice stronger by joining with others who share your convictions … Let’s continue to work together to move Kentucky forward!”

Sarah Berry joined KFTC earlier this year after engaging more in fairness work in Danville. “I had no clue an organization like this existed,” said Berry. “I looked at KFTC’s website and joined five seconds later.”

The Wilderness Trace Barn Bash was a great time for friends and family to reconnect, and for new people to come and learn more about KFTC.

Berry said she was surprised to find an organization where people wanted to take the time to get to know her personally and how much that meant to her. She also encouraged people to become members: “You can make a positive impact in your community. You can make your state better.”

Great music filled the barn throughout the evening as the Danville Dulcimers welcomed people early on, and later Lexington musicians Art Mize and Diane Timmons played swing jazz music. While taking in the sounds, people perused and bid in the silent auction, which included a wide range of items, from restaurant certificates to large artwork to everything in between.

The Barn Bash was a great success in its second year, bringing in several new and renewing KFTC members and raising more than $2,200 to support KFTC’s work.

Wilderness Trace members now have their sights set on doing good local voter empowerment work this fall. The chapter will have its first-ever local voter guide, surveying candidates for Danville City Commission and mayor and Boyle County Fiscal Court.

Chapter members will also be out registering voters at a number of upcoming community events. To learn more about how you can get involved in this work, contact KFTC organizer Beth Bissmeyer at (859) 314-2044 or bethbissmeyer@kftc.org.

Rowan Chapter serves up beans and raises funds at annual music festival

By Annie Adams The Rowan County Chapter held its annual fundraiser at the Old Time Music Festival at Jaycee Farm in Morehead on July 25-26. This was the fifth year the chapter worked the festival and the fourth time it served as the sole food vendor.

The chapter set up two food stations, a KFTC informational table with merchandise, and a spacious eating pavilion.

Ted Withrow oversaw the primary food station, which offered vegetarian and non-vegetarian soup beans and corn bread, hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches (with slaw), fried taters and fresh corn.

Doug Doerrfeld managed the secondary station, which provided bean burritos (with homemade salsa), Brazilian black bean soup, and a black bean and chickpea salad. On Saturday morning, Doerrfeld and his crew served breakfast burritos to the hungry crowd.

Erik Lewis staffed the informational table both days,

fielding questions and encouraging KFTC membership and support. Thanks to his efforts, KFTC has two more paying members and hopefully more on the way.

A number of chapter members brought food and supplies to the festival and worked the food stations. In addition to supplying the bulk of the tables and serving as de facto beverage coordinator, Allie Secor again coordinated the recycling efforts, making sure that proper disposal was both convenient and efficient for festival attendees.

Jeanette Debellefeuille set up a jewelry table and tent next to her food area, the pulled pork site, and successfully juggled both tables, donating 20 percent of her “Jeannette’s Jems” sales to KFTC. Two new members, Kathryn Reader and Chris Merritt, brought baked goods, worked a food station, and even volunteered to staff the festival gate on Saturday.

By providing good food at a fair price, the chapter was able to raise almost $1,400 for KFTC.

Rowan chapter members ran the food booths at the Old Time Music Festival in Morehead in July. Ted Withrow’s fried ‘taters were among the many popular items.

8 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

KFTC NEWS From the Grassroots to the Mountaintop:

Annual meeting focuses on empowering grassroots leaders One of KFTC’s goals of organizing is to have fun, and members proved they know how to do that at KFTC’s 2014 annual membership meeting, even as they took a serious look at Kentucky issues and the role of grassroots leadership.

About 200 KFTC members came together August 22-24 at General Butler State Resort Park in Carrollton around the theme “From the Grassroots to the Mountaintop: Empowering Grassroots Leaders.” Woven with conversations about Kentucky issues were discussions about grassroots leadership – what it looks like, who’s a leader, how leaders become leaders and how grassroots leadership development can change the world.

Members also found time to hug old friends and meet new ones, honor each other for work well done, share their talents at a cultural sharing showcase, and show off their moves at a dance party. The crowd for the annual meeting was one of the youngest and most diverse in KFTC’s history, with many first-time attendees.

The weekend kicked off with a keynote address by poet Bianca Spriggs on Friday night. In addition to sharing her poetry, Spriggs talked with KFTC members about the role of collaboration in making change. (See story in this issue.)

Participants dug in to the topic of leadership development on Saturday with a report from members who attended a recent Our Power gathering in Richmond, California. Our Power brought together frontline communities from across the country to build a movement for a just transition toward local, living economies. Members Chris Woolery and Elizabeth Sanders spoke of the important connections they made to others who are working for social justice. (See story in this issue.)

Vivian Yi Huang, campaign and organizing director for the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), which cohosted the Our Power gathering in early August, was KFTC’s guest for the annual meeting and was the featured speaker on Saturday. APEN works with immigrant and refugee communities in California and has taken on such polluters as Chevron.

“We face so many similarities in our struggle, our vision and our work,” Huang said of KFTC and APEN.

She described her leadership journey. “Leadership is about knowing your life story,” Huang said.

Her awareness of herself as a leader began when she took

a college course in which the final project was to demonstrate how many people you could organize. “Some of the first people I organized were my parents.”

In her evolution as a leader, Huang has had to stretch and grow beyond what she thought she could do and challenge others to do the same.

“Realize there is injustice in the world, but we are a part of helping to fight that. We know we’re going to get there because we know we’re on the right side of justice.”

Vivian Yi Huang, APEN

“Our belief in social justice is stronger than our fears, and we can overcome our fears,” she told the KFTC crowd.

Huang said the system is structured to be intimidating and keep ordinary people from getting involved. “We actually are the people that own the place,” she said. “The legislators work for us and not the other way around.”

Building a movement to a scale that can be effective is another challenge, Huang said. Organizing can be powerful with a few people, but it takes leadership development to go deep and broad and have more impact.

“We are the leaders that we’ve all been waiting for.”

When asked how to keep people motivated through a long fight, Huang said, “Realize there is injustice in the world, but we are a part of helping to fight that.

“We know we’re going to get there because we know we’re on the right side of justice.”

Then KFTC members heard from a panel of grassroots leaders about their own experiences with leadership development.

Anthony Smith works in the mayor’s office in Louisville creating better outcomes for young black men. He said many leaders do not think of themselves as leaders but they become leaders in the eyes of others because of what they empower others to do.

Tanya Torp founded an organization in Lexington called Be Bold that works to empower young women. She talked

about “quiet folks who are just waiting for someone to inspire them.”

Maria Lopez of the Kentucky Dream Coalition shared her experience of being an undocumented immigrant who didn’t think she had anything to offer as a leader.

Dana Beasley Brown of the Southern Kentucky KFTC chapter shared some of her story of growing up in poverty and finding her voice through KFTC. “Every time I tell my story it’s healing for me and brings me to a place of feeling empowered.” (Beasley Brown was elected statewide chair at the Sunday morning business meeting.)

Robert Gipe directs the Appalachian Center at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Harlan County and was a founder of the Higher Ground productions that have examined eastern Kentucky issues through theater.

He described the importance of finding common ground on divisive issues. “You gotta remember that we all are trying to do our best at some level.”

All on the panel agreed that leadership development means getting outside your comfort zone and learning from others.

“Make sure that you attach yourself to someone that’s going to make you think,” said Smith.

Saturday afternoon workshops focused on organizing across lines of difference, voter empowerment, resolving conflict, youth organizing, what leadership development means at KFTC, and using art and culture in community organizing.

All six Let’s Talk! workshops on Sunday emphasized bringing others into KFTC’s work through stories, art and culture – through the lenses of racial justice and white privilege; working for our new economy; a just transition in Appalachia; energy, coal and climate change; voting rights; and fairness.

At the annual business meeting on Sunday, members elected statewide officers and Kentucky Coalition board members (see slate in this issue), approved all 13 chapters to remain a chapter for another year, and adopted the 2014-15 KFTC Platform.

The annual silent auction, filled with many hand-made and gently used items donated by KFTC members, raised nearly $1,300 and stimulated lively bidding among members.

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 9

KFTC NEWS

From the Grassroots to the Mountaintop: annual awards The HAZEL KING LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD is presented to the KFTC member who has committed his or her life in the service of others by working for social justice.

Steve Boyce

FUNDER OF THE YEAR AWARD is presented to the individual or organization that has provided exceptional guidance and resources to KFTC in its struggle for social justice.

Flora Family Foundation

The DANIEL THOMPSON BRIDGE BUILDER AWARD is presented to the member who diligently and faithfully worked to bring together diverse groups of people within KFTC. Elizabeth Sanders

The GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING AWARD is presented to the chapter that raises the highest amount of grassroots funds during the year.

The EVELYN WILLIAMS AWARD is presented to a member who persevered against great obstacles and over time to win an important victory.

Jane Brantley and Eric Mount The ALICE O. MARTIN AWARD is presented to the member who has done the most work behind the scenes to strengthen KFTC as an organization.

Ray Tucker ALLY OF THE YEAR AWARD is presented to the ally organization that has done the most over the past year to support KFTC’s work and goals of organizing.

Network Center for Community Change (NC3)

The Central Kentucky Chapter The JOYCE WISE AWARD is presented to the KFTC member who has overcome personal adversity to help others.

Rutland Melton and Bennie Massey The SISTER MARIE GANGWISH AWARD is presented to the member who has worked steadily and creatively to raise the grassroots funds that support KFTC’s success.

Megan Naseman GLADYS MAYNARD “The START OF SOMETHING BIG” AWARD is presented to the member or group of members whose commitment and action leads to the development of a major movement or event in the cause of justice.

The Jefferson County chapter for the Vision Smoketown project The JOE BEGLEY AND EVERETT AKERS AWARD is presented to the member who is jailed, loses a job or faces some major adversity because of their work for social justice.

Carl Shoupe

Poet Spriggs shares her words, insights at KFTC annual membership meeting Affrilachian poet Bianca Spriggs opened KFTC’s annual meeting by sharing her work and talking with members about the meaning of collaboration.

“I have been aware of KFTC since I was 18 years old and a freshman at Transylvania University,” said the Lexington-based poet. Spriggs said college was also when she discovered poetry.

She described two projects in which she has collaborated to give voice to women: The SwallowTale Project, a writing workshop with incarcerated women, and The Thirteen, a multimedia narrative about women who were lynched in Kentucky during the post-Reconstruction era.

Much of her work, Spriggs said, has been about excavating the complex back stories of black women in Kentucky.

Through the SwallowTale Project, Spriggs and her collaborators helped incarcerated women in Fayette County find their voices.

“Even in the most overwhelming of confines, everyone has a story to tell and it’s their right to tell it,” she told KFTC members.

The Thirteen is a narrative that attempts to give voice to 13 women and girls who were lynched or otherwise violently murdered in Kentucky between 1870 and 1908. “The dead remain among the living like drifters,” Spriggs said.

The Thirteen, which will be reprised for one night only on March 19, 2015, at Centre College, combines spoken word, music and a full gallery exhibition.

Following her presentation, Briggs talked with KFTC members about the creative process, collaboration and the responsibility of artists.

KFTC member Tanya Torp asked what is the artist’s responsibility outside of making art.

“I think every artist has a responsibility to not just notice but not ignore what they see when they see it,” Spriggs said. Artists can attend, organize and “hopefully find a way that their art can somehow contribute to that.”

Collaboration, Spriggs said, means learning humility.

“There’s always something I can learn. Everybody is a teacher … The person sitting in front of you is someone you can learn something from.”

The MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT AWARD is presented to the chapter that has recruited the largest number of new members in the past year.

The Central Kentucky Chapter The MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT AWARD is presented to the chapter that has shown the largest growth by percentage in the past year.

The Big Sandy Chapter

SPECIAL FRIEND AWARDS Mike Rozzi Ray Smith Benham Power Board Highlander Center Rev. Anthony Everett Climate Justice Alliance Dr. Nicole Breazeale Christian Outreach with Appalachian People Sisters and Co-Members of Loretto Mimi Pickering and Sylvia Ryerson of Making Connections Mountain Association for Community Economic Development

10 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

CANARY PROJECT UPDATE

Kentuckians urge EPA to adopt strong Clean Power Plan Kentucky was well represented by grassroots voices at hearings in July held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants.

Forty citizens from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Louisville, Lexington, Morehead, Berea, Burnside, Inez, Hazard and Whitesburg made the long drive from Kentucky to Atlanta on July 28-29 to urge the EPA to strengthen the draft power plant rules. In addition, a KFTC member from Harlan County spoke at the EPA hearing in Denver, along with allies from other Central Appalachian states.

“Our state, our nation, and our world desperately need your help to reduce our carbon emissions and save us from the worst effects of climate change. [This rule] is extremely important in preserving the health and economy of our region,” KFTC member Mary Love of La Grange told the EPA panel in Atlanta. “I am involved with grassroots organizations in Kentucky and Appalachia that are working to protect our air, water, land and the health of our people. We are also working for a just economic transition for our region as we move away from the coal mono-economy.”

Retired nurse Joanne Hill of Pulaski County highlighted Kentuckians from across the state traveled to Atlanta to exercise their voice to the U.S. Environmental Protection the health benefits of the EPA’s climate proposal in her testi- Agency on the proposed Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants. mony.

“I believe that clean air and water is a human right. As clean up after ourselves.” in our country: power plants,” Darst said. “Drawing on the the EPA works to address the problem of climate change, Twelve-year-old Daniel Mullins of Berea spoke strongly strength and ingenuity of American innovation, the EPA’s you have the opportunity to improve health conditions for in favor of the proposed climate protection rule.

Clean Power Plan helps drive investment in energy efficiency communities like mine that live in the shadows of highly “If we want Appalachia to be a safe place to live, we need and clean energy that will power the 21st century.” polluting power plants,” Hill said. “I urge you to make this to start being smarter as a nation about how we use energy. Nearly all Kentucky speakers emphasized the health Clean Power Rule much stronger to protect our health and We need to live more sustainably, using less energy and benefits of the plan and urged the EPA to make the rule climate.” developing more ways to create clean energy. We kids need much stronger to better protect the health of frontline com Former KFTC chairperson Teri Blanton described this Clean Power Plan. We need to limit carbon emissions munities living near places where coal is mined and burned. ways the Clean Power Plan could jumpstart a clean energy that are warming the whole planet, and to protect the places “The Clean Power Plan does not do enough to address economy in Kentucky. like our home from being concentrations of localized pollution,” said Lane Boldman “Today good people polluted and destroyed,” of the Kentucky Environmental Foundation. “We would “My students from that 2000 Environmenare coming together in Mullins said. like to see stronger incentives to protect low-income comtal Club who went to Frankfort are waiting Harlan County and all His nine-year-old sister, munities, who can be disproportionately affected by carbon for you to take a stand. The students from across Central Appalachia Alexandria Mullins, also pollution.” to build a brighter future. gave strong personal testi- “The rate of people having seizures is abnormally high my 1990 Environmental Club are waiting Our people have been promony. in my community, as are brain and lung cancer rates,” said for you to take a stand. The whole world is ducing energy for this na “The Clean Power Plan Joanne Hill. “It breaks my heart to think of how many waiting for the United States Environmental tion for over 100 years. We sounds like a good idea people I know who live within five miles of the Cooper Protection Agency to take a stand.” are proud of our heritage. because we do need to use Power Plant and who are suffering or dead from cancer and But there is no reason we Nina McCoy, Inez, Kentucky our energy wisely. I want seizures. According to the Clean Air Task Force, air pollution should stay stuck in time as people to know where their from this plant is linked with 35 premature deaths, 52 heart the world changes,” Blanton said. energy really comes from, because the mountains in Appala- attacks, and 560 asthma attacks annually.”

“Why shouldn’t we seize this moment to create jobs in chia are being destroyed just for the coal,” she said.

Attica Scott, a councilwoman representing District 1 in wind, solar, and hydropower?” she added. “We can put our “It’s not just about coal, though,” Mullins added. Louisville, described similar concerns for her neighbors and communities back to work by making our homes energy effi- “Natural gas is also being pulled out by wells, and some are constituents. cient and installing small-scale renewables. That’s true energy even causing people’s wells to become toxic and catch on fire. “I am deeply concerned about the health of my comindependence.”

Where are we supposed to get our water from? That’s my munity. District 1 has nineteen chemical plants along what Rick Fowler, a Sierra Club member from Owensboro, question to you.” is most commonly referred to as the Rubbertown Corridor. echoed that view. “We must move away from coal and begin Tim Darst of Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light District 1 is also where the Louisville Gas and Electric Coma new economy using clean renewable fuels.” delivered a petition signed by hundreds of faith leaders from pany’s Cane Run Road coal-fired power plant is located. On Fowler also described how his views were shaped by Kentucky in support of strong actions by the EPA to address a nearly weekly basis, I receive emails, videos, phone calls, growing up in a community where coal was mined. “My climate change.

Facebook messages, and meet personally with people who father was a coal miner, a union coal miner. He was sick “We have a moral obligation to protect our children are suffering every day from the fly ash that comes off of the from black lung, he later died from it, so I did all the chores and future generations from the impacts of climate change coal ash mountain on Cane Run Road.” (continued on next page) around the house. And I was taught to believe that we should by addressing the single largest source of carbon pollution

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 11

CANARY PROJECT UPDATE

General permits mean five more years of polluted streams The Beshear administration in late August issued two new general permits for coal facilities that fail to fully address the ongoing and substantial harm to humans and aquatic life from polluted mine wastewater.

That’s despite strong citizen testimony at a public hearing in June that pointed out many of the flaws in the proposed permits and made suggestions for improving.

The chief complaint of eastern Kentucky residents is that the permits will allow some streams to actually become more polluted rather than improving and protecting their quality.

“While the final permits are a slight improvement over the expiring permit, it bears reiterating that a great many streams throughout Kentucky coal mining areas are currently impaired from discharges allowed by the expiring permits,” said Tim Joice, the Water Policy Director for Kentucky Waterways Alliance. “These final permits fall well short of providing the necessary protection of our water resources, and our communities, from coal mining pollution.”

KFTC member Doug Doerrfeld echoed this point. “The utter failure of Kentucky’s general permit for coal is clearly illustrated by the fact that over 80 percent of the Big Sandy River, which runs through coal-producing counties, cannot fully support aquatic life. Resource extraction under general permits for surface coal mining has been the source of much of the pollution that is killing the Big Sandy River.”

Most coal mines, coal processing facilities and coal slurry impoundments in Kentucky are currently covered under a single general permit, which expired at the end of July.

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Water developed the two new permits for coal mining, one for mines in eastern Kentucky and one for those in western Kentucky, although the two permits are largely identical. The two new permits will go into effect on October 1 and will be valid for five years (through September 2019).

The agency expects between 1,200 and 1,500 facilities across the state to seek coverage under the new permits, although individual permits are expected to be required at some of these facilities.

General permits are considered a blanket approval mechanism. They require less scrutiny than individual permits and do not compel site-specific environmental assessments nor individual public comment processes.

Many who testified in June said that the general permit should be done away with and individual permits required for all pollution sources.

The new general permits contain several additions, such as some limits on selenium and “whole effluent toxicity,” a measure of water’s toxicity to test species, as well as new electronic reporting requirements. However, they include no limits on many pollutants commonly associated with coal facilities, such as aluminum and sulfate, which can be extremely toxic to aquatic species, and conductivity, an indicator of many pollutants, including toxic heavy metals.

The general permits contain limits for selenium that are based on Kentucky’s newly adopted water quality standards for that pollutant. Those new standards were adopted over the objections of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They are weaker and more complicated than previous standards, and are currently being challenged in court by a number

of organizations concerned about water quality, including are already polluted, but the state has no cleanup plans for KFTC. Selenium is an element commonly discharged from many of them as required under the Clean Water Act. coal mines and coal ash ponds that is extremely toxic to fish, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ultimate building up over time and authority to approve or leading to deformities, redeny Kentucky’s new gen“Resource extraction under general permits productive failure and even eral permits. death.

“These new permits are for surface coal mining has been the source To require further an improvement, but still of much of the pollution that is killing the protection for streams alfall short and will continue Big Sandy River.” ready damaged by mining to allow thousands of coal Doug Doerrfeld and other pollution, the mines to poison streams new permits rely on the across the state,” said Eric state to first list the stream Chance, a water quality as damaged and develop a management plan for that stream. specialist for Appalachian Voices.

This Clean Water Act program, known as Total Maximum Added KFTC member Mary Love, “I applaud the DiviDaily Load, serves to identify streams that are impaired for sion of Water including the limit on discharges within five specific uses, such as drinking, fishing and aquatic life, and miles of a municipal water intake, but wish that they had requires a plan to clean them up. done away with the general permit process altogether. Each As Doerrfeld pointed out, and according to the agency’s permit application should be considered individually since own reports, the majority of waterways in eastern Kentucky each location has its own particular characteristics.”

EPA, continued from previous page Scott continued, “As an elected official, I am committed to the economic prosperity and success of our communities and our state. In other states, clean energy has proven to be an economic success story. I want that story to include a chapter on Kentucky.”

Many Kentucky speakers pushed for the EPA to significantly strengthen the climate rules before finalizing them in June 2015. They called on the agency to make the health of frontline communities a top priority; invest in a just transition for coal workers and communities; not allow utilities to get credit for switching from burning coal to burning natural gas, garbage or forests; raise the bar and ask Kentucky to meet a higher target for overall carbon emissions; require Kentucky utilities to significantly ramp up their investments in energy efficiency and renewables; and fully enforce the rule despite political and coal industry opposition.

Steve Wilkins of Berea stressed, “I join many others here in saying that your plan is not bold enough. Kentucky and the nation can do even more. Any revisions to the Clean Power Plan should be done to create an even more robust carbon reduction goal. The costs of doing less are far too great for Kentuckians, Americans and all our relations across the world.”

Nina McCoy of Inez described her impatience with decades of inaction on climate change. A high school biology teacher, McCoy held up vintage t-shirts from school environmental clubs she has sponsored over the years. “My students from that 2000 Environmental Club who went to Frankfort are waiting for you to take a stand. The students from my 1990 Environmental Club are waiting for you to take a stand. The whole world is waiting for the United States Environmental Protection Agency to take a stand.”

“The EPA rule ignores your own science about the harmful pollution caused by switching to other fuels,” warned Joanne Hill. “If this rule drives Kentucky to shift from burning coal to burning gas, garbage and forests, you

will have achieved nothing.”

Other speakers agreed, telling the EPA that its plan to give utilities credit for switching from coal to gas or biomass was like “changing deck chairs on the Titanic.”

“EPA, please promulgate the strongest regulations we need to kick-start addressing the reality of climate change in Kentucky,” said Alice Howell, a Sierra Club member from Lexington. “Rather than pandering to the demands of the energy industry and the whining of the southeastern states about over-stepping your regulatory boundaries, center your Clean Power Plan on the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.”

Speaking at the EPA hearing in Denver, KFTC member and retired mine inspector Stanley Sturgill told the EPA, “The rule does not do nearly enough to protect the health of the frontline communities. We’re dying, literally dying, for you to help us.”

“The last point I want to make is one I’ve learned in more than three decades of working for environmental justice in Kentucky,” said Teri Blanton at the Atlanta hearing. “The EPA must show up from the very first day with the courage and commitment to fully enforce this rule. You will face obstruction, delay and what I call systematic and intentional incompetence from our lawmakers and agencies.

That’s unacceptable.”

Blanton concluded, “Our communities and the planet don’t have 40 years to mess around. For the sake of my grandchildren, and all of our children and grandchildren, the EPA has got to get this one right. We have all got to get this one right.”

KFTC’s analysis of the EPA Clean Power Plan and its impact on Kentucky can be found at www.kftc.org/ EPAregs. This document includes information about how you can submit comments to the EPA, along with suggested talking points. Public comments will be accepted by the EPA through October 16, 2014.

12 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

CANARY PROJECT UPDATE

Judge blocks mining permit granted without landowners’ consent From the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center In a major win for landowners in the state of Kentucky, a federal judge has ruled that a company should not have been granted a permit to strip-mine the land when it did not have the consent of all of the land’s owners.

When five siblings learned one day this spring that Teco Energy had begun strip-mining their family property without their permission, they were forced to go to court to attempt to stop the mining. The five own a 62.5 percent interest in the land, but that is not enough. Kentucky’s practice is to allow mining based on the consent of only one owner, regardless of the size of that owner’s share. Because Teco had 25 percent ownership of the land, the company was granted a permit to mine without consent of the other owners.

On their behalf, the Appalachian Citizens Law Center and co-counsel Joe Childers tackled Kentucky’s practice of approving surface mining upon the consent of an owner with as little as a one percent interest. Asserting that Ken-

ACTION Power Up webinars are here!

KFTC’s Fall 2014 Power Up webinar series is in full swing, with webinars offered every Monday evening between now and the election. These webinars will help members learn skills and opportunities to use this intense election season as a platform for KFTC’s values, frames, and vision.

Find the schedule below, and plan to hop on! We’ll be making the materials available as we go, in case you miss the conversation as it happens.

Topics will include reaching out to the media, creating social media buzz, connecting KFTC’s work to the news of the day, writing great letters to the editor, and tips for on-camera interviews.

On any Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, go to www. readytalk.com. Then enter access code: 8931147. Join the phone call by dialing 866-740-1260 and then enter access code 8931147#. Hope to see you there!

9/15

tucky’s practice violates federal law, they won the case with a ruling declaring that the state improperly issued the mining permit.

The ruling has national implications, as it holds the Interior Department accountable for ensuring that a state’s enforcement meets the minimum requirements of the federal surface mining law.

UPDATE from ACLC: Since the judge’s ruling in June, the U.S. Office of Surface Mining completed its inspection and found deficiencies in the state-issued permit. OSM issued a Cessation Order, but left open the possibility that if Premier Elkhorn revised the permit application and provided notice to the surface owners it could satisfy the legal requirements for right of entry and resume mining. Elkhorn has submitted a revised application. The landowners have protested and are awaiting a decision by state officials. In the meantime, the coal company and the Beshear administration appealed the cessation order to an administrative law judge with the U.S. Department of interior.

Elkhorn also appealed Judge Amul R. Thapar’s order to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The appeal is pending, and landowners have filed a motion to dismiss the appeal.

Excerpts from a Lexington Herald-Leader editorial June 17, 2014 End Kentucky’s shameful land grab for mines Rather than even thinking about appealing a federal judge’s ruling in Kentucky, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and the U.S. Office of Surface Mining should be apologizing.

Abjectly, profusely, unequivocally apologizing for abet-

ting this state’s three-decades-long violation of the U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act by permitting strip mining without the consent of all the owners of the land.

Certainly, U.S. District Judge Amul R. Thapar was plain, clear and unequivocal in ruling in favor of a Pike County family whose property is being stripped without its consent by a subsidiary of Tampa-based TECO Energy, which controls only a minority interest in the land.

Thapar ordered a halt to the mining and wrote that “well-established canons of statutory interpretation all point to the same conclusion,” that the law “requires the consent of all surface owners. The consent of ‘a’ surface owner does not suffice.” … But no specialized degree is necessary to understand that the legal interpretation he reached is also common sense and what an average person would assume to be legal and fair.

And yet, since 1982, when Kentucky won the authority to enforce the federal law on surface mining, the state has approved strip-mine permits if an owner of even less than 1 percent of the land agreed to the mining, testified Allen Luttrell, director of Kentucky’s Division of Mine Permits. … Interior’s indifference to the law and to the people who live with the effects of surface mining is no surprise to Kentuckians who have come to expect it. … As for Kentucky, this is yet another example of the official favoritism that always has invited the coal industry to trample people, streams, forests, mountains and the law.

Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2014/06/17/3295103_ end-kys-shameful-land-grab-for.html

Putting some KFTC in the news

This is a space for members to build a shared understanding of current news items, and workshop opportunities to use the moment to communicate about our values and work.

9/22

Writing great letters to the editor

9/29

Reaching out to local media

10/6

Voter Registration Highlights

10/13 TBD

10/20 Putting some KFTC in the news II 10/27 Tips for on-camera interviews

The National Moment of Silence in Lexington #NMOS14 was part of a national action to stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson MO. as well as those we've lost through criminalization and police brutality. More than 50 people attended, and many decided to lead efforts in fighting against issues that surround criminalization. Since then, CKY member Greg Capillo has been working closely with Lexington's Stop Mass Incarceration chapter to begin organizing a remembrance event for Tony Sullivan, an unarmed, black teenager in Lexington who was killed by police.

Photo credit Steve Pavey

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 13

NEW ENERGY AND TRANSITION UPDATE

Kentuckians meet leaders from every corner at Our Power

KFTC members who attended the Our Power gathering in Richmond, California, in August came home energized and inspired to elevate KFTC’s work on climate justice.

Co-hosted by the Richmond Environmental Justice Coalition and the national Climate Justice Alliance (of which KFTC is a member), Our Power brought together 450 frontline community members from across the country to “build the bigger we” for a just transition toward local, living economies.

Participants spent three days educating, inspiring and strategizing with one another. Ten KFTC members and one staff person attended, and four KFTC members presented during panels at the gathering.

“The first day we gathered together, I thought it was so powerful for so many different people from all over to be all together ready to share stories of the different but also the same thing related to climate change,” said KFTC member Joanne Hill of Pulaski County.

“The sense of community!” said Chris Woolery of Fayette County. “It’s wonderful to know that there are folks across the world doing this work, and great to hear about their successes. This leads to sharing knowledge about what works, and to all of us being better at what we do.”

Added Stanley Sturgill of Harlan County: “When you hear from folks around the country and world, it really puts things in perspective and you soon realize you are not, by any means, alone with the problems we face concerning our health (number one) and the continuing change of our environment.”

Woolery said his favorite part was the debrief among KFTC members after the convening. “It was awesome to hear about what our folks wanted to do with this info and energy when we got back.”

The delegation came up with a long list of steps they wanted to take when they got home, including: • Get more diversity of people involved in KFTC chapters and stay in touch with people they met in California.

• Talk with allies about divestment/reinvestment funds and how they might be used in Kentucky. (The divestment movement focuses on convincing lending agencies not to fund destructive practices such as mountaintop removal.)

• Increase leadership development around climate justice and collaborate with allies in Jefferson County, where coal ash work is happening.

• Increase our “just not going to take ‘no’ for an answer” attitude – especially with decision-makers.

• Concentrate on the basics: building up KFTC chapters, getting more people involved, getting good people elected to office.

• Continue climate change education, and make extraction issues a part of that education.

• Host a community meeting to report on the Our Power convening.

• Host a Climate Justice Alliance gathering and reach out to our communities to attend.

• Learn what Kentucky politicians think about climate change and transition, and hold them accountable.

The Kentucky Our Power delegation (pictured left to right): Stanley Sturgill, Bennie Massey, Teri Blanton, Elizabeth Sanders, Chris Woolery, Joanne Hill, Rutland Melton, Sean Hardy, Lee Ann Paynter, Carl Shoupe and Sara Pennington.

Below: the full gathering.

Make climate justice a campaign issue.

• Work on our frame: make sure climate justice is tied to economic justice.

• Talk more with workers.

• Get more KFTC members involved in the climate justice movement.

“I feel more empowered to speak on not only ‘my’ issues like energy democracy, but also new things like the divest/ re-invest movement,” said Woolery. “I feel much more able, in terms of sharing a vision, and giving hope to folks that might be frustrated – and rightly so – with things around Kentucky.”

Hill added: “When we all stood in a circle outside and held hands, I thought that was a powerful union of powerful people wanting to make a difference for a cleaner and healthier future for all races. Standing united.”

“The gathering has already contributed to many things I have written since I returned home,” said Sturgill. “It has also given me a much clearer insight with communicating orally with folks on the many problems that we continue to face each day in our own corner of the world.”

Sturgill also expressed that his work with KFTC has enabled him to meet new people and visit new places, energizing him for the work. “I just look so forward to the future and trying to change or stop some of the problems we face.”

14 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

VOTING RIGHTS UPDATE

Louisville Metro Council passes resolution supporting restoration of voting rights for former felons in KY

By Bonifacio Aleman The Louisville Metro Council once again made history in July by passing a resolution supporting the restoration of voting rights to former felons in Kentucky with a unanimous vote of 19-0.

Going into the July 24 Metro Council hearing, the resolution had 11 bipartisan cosponsors. Once the resolution was brought to the floor for discussion, five more Metro Council members (bipartisan, again) signed on as cosponsors. With no opposition on Metro Council, or from the chambers, the resolution passed, with several Metro Council members going on record about why voting rights matter and why this resolution is so important.

But this didn’t begin in July. In February 2013, Councilman Chris Ford led the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to pass a similar resolution by unanimous vote. Our partners Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, along with other key allies, played an instrumental role in passing the resolution.

A few months ago, as we visited Councilman Ford, our conversation turned to voting rights in Kentucky. Councilman Ford offered his assistance in moving a resolution in Louisville that would support the restoration of voting rights in Kentucky.

Upon returning to Louisville, I revisited a conversation that Councilwoman Attica Scott (the lead sponsor on Louisville’s resolution), the Jefferson County Chapter of KFTC and I had been having about this issue. Councilwoman Scott began working on the draft of the resolution, talking to her colleagues at Louisville Metro Council, and thinking through strategy.

Once the resolution was filed and assigned to the Committee on Health, Education, and Housing, we prepared for a potential battle, as the issue of voting rights restoration has proven to be on the state level. Councilwoman Mary Wool-

ridge, committee chair, agreed to allow Councilman Ford to address the committee about Lexington’s resolution, their process and why this is so important for local jurisdictions in Kentucky. I chimed in against a proposed amendment to the resolution that would alter the title to support voting rights restoration only for nonviolent offenders.

After the resolution passed out of committee unanimously, Councilwoman Scott and I penned an op-ed in The Courier-Journal, which ran a few days before the Metro Council hearing. A quote from Councilwoman Scott that I shared during my address to Louisville Metro Council still resonates with me: “Most people of goodwill know that voting is a fundamental right. As a compassionate city, we should support the restoration of that right just as we support restorative justice in other areas of our society. And like restorative justice, restoration of voting rights reintegrates people who have served their time back into our community, reduces recidivism, and helps to make people whole after they have made a mistake and been judged for that mistake.”

We were grateful to David Horvath and the Sowers of Justice Network for addressing Metro Council in support of our resolution from a faith perspective. We also had the honor of support from the Louisville League of Women Voters on this issue, as they shared updated statistics on voting rights and voter disenfranchisement.

Finally, the resolution made it to the council floor.

The Metro Council chambers fell silent as the resolution was read. And then victory began to show: one by one, five more council members signed on as co-sponsors. Folks in the chambers, along with myself, could barely contain our excitement as we waited for voting to open.

We erupted into a clapping frenzy as the vote was closed with a 19-0 unanimous tally. Another victory for voting rights. Another victory for democracy and social justice.

It is with heartfelt gratitude that I say thank you to

SEVERAL VOTING RIGHTS BILLS ALREADY FILED FOR 2015 SESSION Several bills to address the disenfranchisement of former felons have already been filed for the 2015 General Assembly.

In July, Sen. Gerald Neal pre-fied a voting rights bill (BR 90) that is identical to House Bill 70, as filed by Rep. Jesse Crenshaw in the 2014 session.

In August, Rep. Darryl Owens prefiled a voting rights bill (BR 84) that is the same as the original HB 70 except for one minor one-word change.

Owens’ bill also would remove from the constitution archaic language barring “idiots and insane persons” from voting.

Also in August, Rep. Jeff Hoover pre-filed a voting rights bill (BR 138).

It keeps HB 70 intact but rewrites and reformats it, and moves around some wording. It, too, would strike the “idiots and insane persons” language.

Finally, in July, Sen. Neal pre-filed a second bill that moves the placement of the word “felony” within Section 145 of the constitution. The effect would be to leave it up to the legislature to determine what felonies or misdemeanors take away voting rights, with the starting place being only those mentioned in the constitution (treason, bribery) causing disenfranchisement. everyone who made phone calls, sent emails, talked to their neighbors and friends, and showed up for the Metro Council hearing, to Councilman Ford, to Councilwoman Scott, and to all of the Louisville Metro Council. Without you, this resolution would not be victorious.

From left to right: State Representative Darryl Owens, Metro Councilwoman Mary Woolridge, Councilwoman Vicki Aubrey Welch, Councilman Kelly Downard, Councilwoman Attica Scott, Kentucky Jobs with Justice Executive Director Bonifacio Aleman, Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin, Councilwoman Marilyn Parker, Councilman Jerry Miller.

Bonifacio Aleman is executive director of Kentucky Jobs with Justice, www.kyjwj.org

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

Balancing the Scales | 15

ECONOMIC JUSTICE UPDATE

Senate considers constitutional amendment on campaign finance The U.S. Senate was scheduled to vote on September 11 on a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit the role of money in elections.

The vote is largely in response to grassroots efforts to reverse recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that did away with most state and federal limits on campaign spending.

The Senate voted 79-18 on September 8 to allow debate on the bill, though the vote on the amendment itself is expected to be much closer (a two-thirds vote is required to pass a constitutional amendment).

Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell voted to allow for debate, even though he has been a leading proponent of unlimited campaign spending and the ideas that corporations are people and money is free speech. Sen. Rand Paul voted against allowing debate.

The amendment says Congress and states “may regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.”

It also supports the idea that corporations are not people.

“This provision would restore the power to put reasonable limits on money in political elections and overturn the present situation allowing unlimited expenditures,” explained George Schuhmann, an attorney and KFTC member in Louisville. “The Freedom of Speech envisioned by our founders involved speech by the ordinary citizens who can vote in our representative democracy. They envisioned democratic self-government and political equality that would protect the integrity of government and the electoral process. Unlimited spending does not do that.”

Since the Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that spending money on elections was a form of free speech and Congress could not limit it, millions of dollars have been spent by third parties to influence the outcomes of elections.

In a related decision (McCutcheon), the court ruled that placing limits on the cumulative amount of money an individual could contribute to political campaigns was unconstitutional. In that case, coal magnate Shaun

McCutcheon teamed up with McConnell and the Republican National Committee to urge the court to allow him and other wealthy donors to contribute unlimited amounts.

Both decisions were by a 5-4 vote.

“Those five [justices] expanded the role of money in the election process by ruling that the expenditure of money to influence elections cannot be limited by state or federal laws intended to limit the corrupting influence of wealth on our political processes,” said Schuhmann. “We should be aware of the dramatic effect that big money in politics has gained, as evidenced by reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (available at www.fec.gov and at OpenSecrets.org), and that the situation will only become worse if this course is allowed to continue.

“I believe that it is a good thing for a citizen to be able to contribute to the candidate and party of their choice.

But too much of a good thing – unlimited political expenditures – is clearly not a benign influence on politics.”

Let’s talk: building new economic power in Kentucky It’s officially the election season, and that means we have good opportunities to talk about money, taxes, and economic policy with our family, friends and folks at the barber shop.

At the Annual Membership Meeting, a group of members who attended the “Let’s Talk: Building a New Economy” workshop discussed ways that these conversations can be shaped by KFTC’s framework of building new economic power.

They focused on how our conversations over the next few weeks can lift up what kind of economy we want and deserve, and allow good space to identify policies that will get us there, many of which are at play in this election.

The group acknowledged that lots of things make it challenging to talk about money and how we’re impacted by economic policies—it’s complicated, and there can be value judgements involved, feelings of guilt or inadequacy that come with comparisons, etc.

But as intimidating as it can be to talk about money issues, it’s a lot scarier to live in a world where people don’t talk about how we’re impacted by economic policies, and what we need to change to build new economic power.

Using comments that we all hear about politics and economic policies, the workshoppers had two goals: 1) to identify some brief responses that would flip the frame, reorienting the discussion to allow more space for values and our personal stories; 2) to identify discussion questions that would engage the person in a good conversation grounded in our shared values and vision for Kentucky.

They came up with some really helpful tips for these conversations, and we wanted to share them out.

If someone says: “Oh, I’m not very political.”

A one-sentence response might be: “I wasn’t very political either, until I started learning about…”

• “Lots of us can share our own experience of hard work that didn’t lead to financial leaps and bounds.”

Questions to discuss together: • “What would you like for your family and all our families?”

• “What are some things you’d like to change about our community, or about Kentucky?”

Questions to discuss: • “It’s often illuminating to examine a ‘bootstraps’ narrative. Even though people think they’ve ‘made it’ all on their own, asking questions can uncover things like Pell Grants, farm subsidies, generational benefits from the GI Bill, or government training programs.

• “What kinds of jobs is our economy supporting right now? How has that changed over the last few decades?”

If someone says: “If we tax corporations, we’ll lose jobs!”

One-sentence responses might be: • “We create jobs when we invest in ourselves, so that we create a skilled workforce, innovative thinkers, and thriving, dynamic communities where people want to live and work.

• “We can’t make those investments with corporate loopholes undermining the system.”

Questions to discuss: • “It’s scary to think about job loss, especially when it feels like it’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet.

But why is it getting harder? Why isn’t it getting harder for CEOs?” • “If corporate loopholes worked, don’t you think we’d have seen some evidence by now?”

If someone says: “Poor people should work harder. Worked for me!”

One-sentence responses might be: • “Lots of hard workers are poor. Lots of people who don’t work are wealthy. Let’s focus on how we can make sure everyone can meet their basic needs and we’re creating the Kentucky we want.”

• “The American Dream! Let’s talk about real life.”

If someone says: “You want to build a new economy? That sounds hard, and like it might be about communism. Pass the ketchup.”

One-sentence responses might be: • “What’s hard is finding a job that keeps good food on the table and a roof over our heads, while so many other Kentuckians are struggling for the same thing. We can do better.”

• “Building our own economic power is about lifting up what we value—our people—and creating opportunities for ourselves and each other.”

• “It’s actually a very old idea. Ever have a yard sale?”

Questions to discuss: • “What do you think should drive our economy?

What—who—do you think drives it now?”

• “Who do you think our economy should work for?”

• “What do you see as your role in the current economy?

As my role? How could that be different?”

These are some ideas. Now is a great time to get out and have these conversations yourself! And please do share out with your chapter members and friends as you learn what’s useful!

16 | Balancing the Scales

www.kftc.org | September 12, 2014

CALENDAR OF EVENTS CHAPTER MEETINGS

September 16 Northern Kentucky Chapter Meeting 7 p.m., Roebling Point Books and Coffee, 306 Greenup Street, Covington Info: Joe@kftc.org or call 859-380-6103

September 18 Shelby County Chapter Meeting 6 p.m., Stratton Community Center, 215 W Washington Street, Shelbyville Info: Carissa@kftc.org or call 502-208-1696

September 18 Rowan County Chapter Meeting 6 p.m., St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 5th St., Morehead Info: Sara@kftc.org or call 606-632-0051

September 22 Madison County Chapter Meeting 6:30 p.m. at Berea College Appalachian Center, 205 N. Main St., Berea Info: BethBissmeyer@kftc.org or call 859-314-2044

September 18 Central Kentucky Chapter Meeting 7 p.m. at The Episcopal Mission House, Corner of 4th Street and MLK Blvd., Lexington. Info: BethHoward@kftc.org or call 859-276-0563

September 23 Southern Kentucky Chapter Meeting 6 p.m. at The Foundry 531 W. 11th Street, Bowling Green Info: Denney@kftc.org or call 270-779-6483

Smoketown GetDown for Democracy September 19, 4 to 10 pm, 735 Lampton Street.

Smoketown GetDown is a block party powered by the people and open to the public with live entertainment, local food, and beer from West Sixth Brewing. The GetDown is an official Louisville Craft Beer Week event. Sponsored by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Kertis Creative, and West Sixth Brewing.

Growing a healthy democracy means growing our capacity:

KFTC hires 42 part-time Voter Empowerment Organizers to register voters across the state this fall Berea: Sarah, Sasha; Bowling Green/Southern KY: Dora, Kayla, Haley, Kim, Alexandria (Glasgow); Central Kentucky: Greg, Tayna, Aubree, Sarah, Sharon, Reyno, Stacie, Danielle, Elijah, Samantha, Austin, Tyler; Danville: Stephanie, Craig; Eastern Kentucky: Evan, Charly, Andrea, Jennifer, Lillian; Estill/Madison County: Gina, Merry, Will (Richmond), Traviss (Richmond); Jefferson County: Aubrey, Doanta, Sean, Jonathan, Anna Kate, Pam, Michelle; Northern Kentucky: Nina, Dinah, Thaddeus, Lauren, Wes (Scott County)