Kentucky Greenhouse-emission Growth Worst in Nation, Panel Told

THE COURIER-JOURNAL-James Bruggers- JANUARY 28, 2010

Kentucky's greenhouse gas emissions are increasing at twice the rate of the rest of the nation, according to a draft inventory prepared for state environment officials.

The Center for Climate Strategies found greenhouse gases — mainly carbon dioxide — rose 33 percent from 1990 to 2005, compared to 16 percent for the nation. Left unchecked, emissions are projected to increase to 62 percent above 1990 levels by 2030.

Those were among the numbers discussed Thursday as a newly designated Kentucky Climate Action Plan Council met for the first time. The group, which includes elected leaders and representatives of some of the top energy-using industries in Kentucky, has been charged with developing a plan by December to address the causes and likely consequences of climate change.

It’s an important issue, said Len Peters, secretary of the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet, because many thousands of jobs are at stake in the state's coal, automotive, aluminum and steel industries if electricity rates go too high.

"As we go forward, we have to link energy, the economy and the environment together," he said.

At a time when the Obama administration is advocating sharp reductions in emissions in the decade ahead, Kentucky is spending $200,000 on its climate change plan, matched by $97,500 in private funds.

Peters said he believes Kentucky's manufacturing base makes the state’s numbers look worse than other states.

"We are manufacturing products in Kentucky that are being consumed by states that don't have manufacturing," he told the council. "Those states … don't get tagged with being high CO2 emitters."

Before the meeting, council member and University of Kentucky energy researcher Rodney Andrews said Kentucky’s greenhouse gas numbers are high because of its heavy reliance on coal for electricity — more than 90 percent — and energy intensive manufacturing aluminum production.

Louisville-based E.On U.S., parent of LG&E and Kentucky Utilities, is participating in the council. Spokesman Chip Keeling said in an interview that the company hopes the climate plan will identify opportunities for Kentucky to respond to the challenge of global climate change while increasing energy efficiency and maintaining the state's industrial base.

Louisville renewable energy developer David Brown Kinloch, a council member, said he hopes the group will help the state find a more diverse energy mix. If not, he said, Kentuckians likely will see much higher electricity rates when the federal government imposes curbs on carbon dioxide emissions.

“There will be a lot of jobs lost in this state that depend on cheap and dirty energy we have now,” he said.

Kentucky will be the 34th state that has stepped forward to draft a comprehensive climate action plan, said Tom Peterson, president and chief executive officer of the Center for Climate Strategies. He cited other states, including Arizona and Michigan, whose plans envisioned net increases of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in savings through energy planning.

"It's not only how much junk we get out of the air, but economic impact," he said.

Reporter James Bruggers can be reached at (502) 582-4645.