Frankfort — Gov. Ernie Fletcher and his Democratic challenger, Steve Beshear, responded to questions about Kentucky’s energy policy and coal mining, submitted by Democrat and Republican voters from communities served by CNHI-published newspapers.

Q: What is your position on mountaintop removal and should more be done to protect Kentucky streams from the impact of mining? What will your policy in this area be?

FLETCHER:

One of the things we did was to clean up the black water spills. I think it’s extremely important to realize that one of the largest pollutants to our streams in eastern Kentucky is straight [sewage] pipes which increase the bacteria in our streams and rivers. On mountaintop removal, I think there needs to be a balance. There’s a lot of economic development that’s taken place, including the ability to get in and out of communities because of much safer airports in areas where mountaintop removal has taken place. One of the things that’s important is what we’ve already done in conjunction with the University of Kentucky. We’ve changed our re-forestation techniques. We’ve reduced the compaction. When you reform a mountaintop removal, it allows a much more rapid re-forestation. There are areas of Kentucky that we must maintain as pristine. What we’ve done is a comprehensive adventure tourism study which will allow us to make sure there are some areas that will remain unspoiled in their natural condition. But clearly there has to be a balance between making sure we have the sustainable economy in that area, and that we have environmental stewardship is important as well.

BESHEAR:

In the area of coal mining, I have always had two priorities. One is to allow the mining of coal because it produces energy for our state and our country and also produces jobs. And the second priority is to have mining conducted in as environmentally friendly way as possible, to protect our land and our streams from adverse effects. Mountaintop removal mining is allowed only when it can be demonstrated at the time the permit is issued that there is a higher and better use for the property, to leave it flat as opposed to returning the land to the approximate general contour. There is some need in eastern Kentucky for flat land. When you visit the different communities in eastern Kentucky, you’ll find most hospitals, airports, economic development projects are built on former mountaintop removal sites, because it has allowed for the flat land needed to locate those particular facilities. It is my feeling that if we properly enforce the regulations that we now have, we will limit the amount of mountaintop removal mining that is done and we will protect not only the mountains but the streams from pollution.

Q: Currently, 97 percent of Kentucky’s electricity comes from coal and its electrical rates are among the nation’s lowest. However, Kentucky ranks near the top in carbon dioxide pollution and deaths related to pollution from coal-fired power plants. What energy policies do you support and what is your vision for Kentucky’s energy future?

BESHEAR:

We have abundant coal both in the eastern and western coal fields, and we need to take advantage of that resource in Kentucky, to help this country move toward energy independence and because it is a real stimulus to our economy and creates jobs. I am determined to make Kentucky a leader in clean coal technologies. I think most of us realize that things like CO2 emissions are harming our atmosphere and we need to make sure we are taking steps along with the rest of the country in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. I think it’s only a matter of time before the federal government issues additional restrictions on emissions and Kentucky needs to be out front in developing the clean coal technologies so that we will be able to burn Kentucky coal for many years. For anyone to think that the burning of coal to create energy and electricity is going away anytime soon is really not paying much attention to the facts. But what is realistic is for Kentucky to be a leader in developing the kind of clean coal technologies it takes to remove those emissions from the process, eventually with carbon sequestration and other processes and ensure that this country can continue to have the kind of energy it needs to run its economy and that Kentucky can continue to mine Kentucky coal and produce the kinds of jobs and economic influence that it has for our state. I also want to make Kentucky a leader in alternative fuel production and renewable energy production. We have an abundance of rich farm land throughout our state that can produce the kinds of crops it takes to produce ethanol, bio-fuel, bio-diesel, all of the kinds of alternative fuels that are becoming more and more usable and efficient every year. We also should be pushing the development of wind and solar power so that we not only become a leader in clean coal technologies but also become a leader in alternative fuel production and renewable energy production.

FLETCHER:

I think it’s extremely important that we realize we have an economic advantage by having low energy rates, but we’ve focused on conservation, particularly the STAR energy program we’ve done here in our state buildings and the tax incentives in our energy bill for homes to be STAR energy qualified. I think it’s extremely important on carbon dioxide that we recognized in this last bill that we put an emphasis on studies and research in carbon capture and sequestration ability and promoting a pipeline so we can market the CO2 and a geological survey on using carbon sequestration to increase the return on oil and gas as well as coal bed methane techniques which allow us to produce more energy and at the same time sequester more CO2. Also our tax incentives in the Jobs for Kentucky plan require a reduction in pollutants. Our new energy bill is even more stringent. So we promote cleaner coal technology and make sure we have the ability of carbon sequestration that will be consistent if the federal government passes restrictions.



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