Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet presents Awards at its Conference on Energy and the Environment

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 15, 2018) – The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet presented 13 environmental awards October 12 at its annual Governor’s Conference on Energy and the Environment at the Lexington Convention Center.

The awards reflect a commitment by those honored to preserving and enhancing the Commonwealth through energy efficiency, soil conservation, mine land reclamation, farmland stewardship or innovation.

Environmental Advocate Fitzgerald Honored, 2018 Governor’s Conference Concludes

Tom Fitzgerald, who has spent nearly four decades advocating for those, “downhill, downwind and downstream,” as was inscribed upon his award, was the recipient of the 2018 Secretary’s Award at the Governor’s Conference on Energy and the Environment.

Lt. Governor Jenean Hampton and Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Charles Snavely presented “Fitz,” as he is widely known, with the award at the conclusion of the Awards Luncheon on Friday afternoon.

2018 Governor’s Conference on Energy and Environment Wraps Day One

Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Kicked off the 2018 Governor’s Conference on Energy and the Environment with remarks about the future of Kentucky’s energy profile, environmental regulations and continuing to keep Kentucky’s environment and citizens protected.

Governor Matt Bevin was the keynote speaker on the first day of the conference. The governor touted his energy policies, covered cyber security, the changing energy landscape and updating the power grid. He also took questions from the audience which included a discussion on subsidizing alternative energy forms.

Little South Fork Conservation Efforts a Success

FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 27, 2018) – The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves has announced the conservation of over 1,000 acres of forest with rare species habitat for their Wild Rivers Program. These additions to the Steele Hollow Watershed Conservation Area in Wayne and McCreary counties were funded with assistance from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund (KHLCF), the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund and the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Kentucky field office.

“These tracts lie within the watershed for the Little South Fork of the Cumberland River, which contains habitat for several imperiled species,” said Lee Andrews, State Field Office Supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Kentucky.  “The palezone shiner, for example, is one of those species and is only known to occur in the Little South Fork and in the Paint Rock River in Alabama.