Feb 1 Environment High Speed Rail: Too Costly or Imperative? Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says high speed rail would be a boon for Louisville. A federal grant recently awarded to the Georgia Department of Transportation would help it examine the feasibility of a route from Chicago to Atlanta, with stops in Louisville and Nashville. But George Mason University transportation economist Dr. Kenneth Button says high speed rail isn’t worth the trouble. By Kristin Espeland Feb 1 Environment High Speed Rail: Too Costly or Imperative? Kristin Espeland
Jan 18 Environment New Nuclear for Kentucky? A bill that would make it easier to build new nuclear power plants in Kentucky is making its way through the state legislature. New plants have been banned in the Commonwealth since 1984, unless the federal government finds a way to permanently dispose of the waste. By Kristin Espeland Jan 18 Environment New Nuclear for Kentucky? Kristin Espeland
Jan 14 Environment Update: Endangered Mussels Return to Wild About a year and a half ago, we brought you the story of Kentucky’s endangered mussels, and the struggle to save them. Decades of pollution and habitat loss have put a large percentage of our watershed’s freshwater mussels on the federal endangered species list. Now, WFPL’s Kristin Espeland Gourlay has this update on one mussel – with a little good news. By Kristin Espeland Jan 14 Environment Update: Endangered Mussels Return to Wild Kristin Espeland
Jan 7 Local News Scientists Call for End to Mountaintop Mines Writing in the journal Science, scientists from a range of disciplines and institutions are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop issuing mountaintop coal mining permits. By Kristin Espeland Jan 7 Local News Scientists Call for End to Mountaintop Mines Kristin Espeland
Jan 7 Environment New Smog Standards Pose Problem for L'ville While Louisville struggles to come into compliance with current Environmental Protection Agency standards for smog, the U.S. agency is proposing even stricter standards. By Kristin Espeland Jan 7 Environment New Smog Standards Pose Problem for L'ville Kristin Espeland
Dec 25 Environment KY Waterways Alliance Critical of New Coal Ash Ponds A Kentucky environmental group tried to intervene in a case before the state’s utility regulators but was denied. By Kristin Espeland Dec 25 Environment KY Waterways Alliance Critical of New Coal Ash Ponds Kristin Espeland
Dec 21 Environment Still Time for Green Tax Credits There’s still time to reap the benefits of a new tax credit for improving the energy efficiency of your home. By Kristin Espeland Dec 21 Environment Still Time for Green Tax Credits Kristin Espeland
Dec 18 Environment Some Progress, Some Waiting: Louisville's Climate Plan It’s down to the final hours in Copenhagen, Denmark for international negotiators to reach agreement on a new climate treaty. Meanwhile, municipalities have taken it upon themselves to address climate change. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland Gourlay has this look at the fate of Louisville’s own Climate Action Plan. By Kristin Espeland Dec 18 Environment Some Progress, Some Waiting: Louisville's Climate Plan Kristin Espeland
Dec 15 Environment More Grants for Recycled Tire Projects Grant money is once again available from the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet for projects that use crumb rubber, or recycled tires, to pave playgrounds, athletic fields, or other surfaces. That’s in part to help find a home for the more than 4 million tires Kentuckians get rid of every year. By Kristin Espeland Dec 15 Environment More Grants for Recycled Tire Projects Kristin Espeland
Dec 14 Environment Biomass Energy Use to Ramp Up in KY A new report from Governor Steve Beshear’s task force on biomass recommends that the state ramp up biomass production for electricity generation and transportation fuels. That’s in order not only to meet Kentucky’s growing energy needs but also federal regulations requiring increased use of renewable fuels. By Kristin Espeland Dec 14 Environment Biomass Energy Use to Ramp Up in KY Kristin Espeland
Dec 7 Environment Former Air Pollution Chief Off to Copenhagen The next round of major climate treaty negotiations kicks off today in Copenhagen, Denmark, with more than 100 world leaders slated to attend, including President Barack Obama. Louisville’s former Air Pollution Control District Director Art Williams will also be in attendance, as part of the Sierra Club’s national delegation. By Kristin Espeland Dec 7 Environment Former Air Pollution Chief Off to Copenhagen Kristin Espeland
Dec 4 Environment WV Plant Win $334M to Ramp Up CO2 Capture The world’s first commercial carbon capture operation at a power plant in West Virginia has received the federal funding it needs to scale up. By Kristin Espeland Dec 4 Environment WV Plant Win $334M to Ramp Up CO2 Capture Kristin Espeland
Dec 2 Environment Biomass: Energy of the Future? States throughout the Ohio River Valley are stepping up efforts to produce more electricity from renewable sources. One increasingly popular option is biomass—such as wood chips or agricultural waste. In Kentucky, the Governor has convened a task force to develop the state’s biomass potential. But in Indiana, two proposed biomass plants aren’t so welcome. By Kristin Espeland Dec 2 Environment Biomass: Energy of the Future? Kristin Espeland
Nov 25 Local News Record Numbers Sign Up for Food Stamps Kentucky is issuing record numbers of food stamps to households. By Kristin Espeland Nov 25 Local News Record Numbers Sign Up for Food Stamps Kristin Espeland
Nov 20 Environment More Federal Oversight of Surface Mines Proposed The federal Office of Surface Mining has announced its proposals for strengthening oversight of strip mining to protect the environment in Appalachian coal states. One proposal is to conduct so-called “independent” inspections of state-permitted mines. By Kristin Espeland Nov 20 Environment More Federal Oversight of Surface Mines Proposed Kristin Espeland