June 30, 2011: Our readers write

Coal is not Kentucky’s future
It seems every level of state government is endorsing coal mining. Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell have spoken out against federal regulations imposed on the coal industry by the Environmental Protection Agency. Local leaders attended a FACES of Coal press conference Friday in Elizabethtown. Again the theme was that the EPA is endangering Kentucky’s future by requiring full compliance with federal law to obtain a permit to mine Appalachian coal. Here are the facts these coal advocates have avoided:

• Elizabethtown is the 10th most toxic city in America. According to a list published in Forbes magazine, no friend of the EPA, the Elizabethtown, Louisville, Sellersburg, Ind., metropolitan area is No. 10 in persistent particulate pollution. Simply, our air quality stinks. We’ve all heard how the Ohio Valley crud is the cause of respiratory ailments from allergies to asthma. It’s not the valley, it’s those of us living in it.The No. 1 cause of poor air quality is coal fired electric plants. In our toxic area there are two that avoided compliance with federal clean air standards for more than 10 years. Finally LG&E agreed to retrofit the one north of Hardin County and Duke Energy announced it will close two units in southern Indiana.
• The No. 1 reason for children being taken to emergency rooms is asthma. The No. 1 cause of asthma is dirty air. The No. 1 cause of dirty air is coal fired electric plants.
• Most coal mining in Appalachia involves mountain top removal. A practice that devastates the landscape and fouls water and air. I invite you to revisit last year’s KET special on this issue titled “Deep Down.”
• The vast majority of electricity generated by coal is wasted. Reasonable conservation efforts could eliminate almost 60 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. but those same people opposed to the EPA often are opposed to simplest efforts.

Kentucky has paid a tremendous price to generate America’s electricity. It has sacrificed hundreds of men and boys in coal mines while coal interests said mine safety laws were unreasonable. It has sacrificed acres of beautiful landscapes and streams. It has sacrificed the health and safety of people in polluted air and water to the point where Kentucky is one of the most unhealthy states.
Kentucky doesn’t need to continue to sacrifice children’s future on the folly of cheap electricity.
James R. Fugitte
Elizabethtown

We need stronger penalties
I believe them when the “National board says state is not doing enough to combat impaired motorists.” I know the 1988 crash was a bad one, but the state has not done enough to stop this habit. There have been more deaths, but never as many at one time. I feel the state should be more strict on offenders so they will not drink and drive again after their first DUI arrest. I feel if a person is caught a second time it should be jail time and maybe they will open their eyes and see if it is worth the time in jail. When I read the DUI offenses in the paper, all they get is a slap on the hand and the court tells them to not do it again. The court should put some teeth in the system and lock them up, and charge another fine. A fine and jail time will never bring a loved one back. Please enforce a stiffer penalty for a second DUI offense. Remember the families of the dead.
George Pypiak
Radcliff