Environment

Louisville Metro Government’s new five-year plan for solid waste includes proposals to ban the use of plastic bags for yard waste and a plan to expand composting.

The five-year plan is required by state law, and is up for discussion at the Solid Waste board meeting tonight. Environmental engineer Sarah Lynn Cunningham is on the solid waste advisory committee. She says she’s in favor of ambitious goals, but has yet to see any evidence that Metro Government will commit to the goals it lays out in the plan.

The AFL-CIO has launched a new direct mail campaign aimed at attacking Mitt Romney’s record on coal mine safety.

The ad features union president Richard Trumka, a third generation coal miner from Pennsylvania.

A filmmaker in North Carolina is working on a documentary that juxtaposes the coalfields of Appalachia with those of another area: Wales. He’ll present some of his findings for revitalizing a community after coal at a meeting this week.

Thousands of coal industry professionals will be in Louisville this week for a conference.

First District Congressman Ed Whitfield has been tapped to lead a subcommittee at the Republican National Convention later this month, where he’ll help shape the Republican party’s stance on energy issues.

Whitfield is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power. During his time in that position, he’s lead efforts to keep the uranium enrichment plant in Paducah open and stop the federal government from regulating coal ash.