Lexington, KY - 2009: As the administration of President Barack Obama took charge, the Environmental Protection Agency decided to review 79 valley fill permits that, if approved, would allow mining companies to remove layers of rock and dirt to extract coal, a practice known as mountaintop removal. The review of the permits - 49 of which are in Kentucky -
drew attention to coal, its place in Kentucky's economy and its effect on Kentuckians' lives. The result was a series of forums and debates. On one side were the Kentucky Coal Association and the companies, which argue that coal provides cheap electricity and jobs, making Kentuckians' lives better. On the other side were groups like the Sierra Club, which argue that surface mining of coal in eastern Kentucky ruins drinking water and harms the quality of life.
Meanwhile, Lexington worked to clear up its own problem with the EPA, the storm water and sewer overflows that regularly cause flooding and sanitary sewer backups. To remedy the situation, the city built new pump stations and sewer lines and began a survey to identify problems.
2010: The EPA hasn't set a deadline to finish its review of the valley fill permits. "We're still trying to be optimistic about 2010," said Dave Moss, vice president of the Kentucky Coal Association. But others are hoping the increased scrutiny will continue: "There's a lot of regulations not being followed in the field," said Lane Boldman, a Lexington resident and a member of the national Sierra Club board.
On the sewer and storm water front, the city will begin collecting a storm water fee in January from property owners. The fee ($4.32 per residence or per 2,500 square feet of impermeable surface) will generate $12 million a year to pay for structural improvements, said Charles Martin, director of Lexington's Division of Water Quality.