AGP Executive Report

Data Center Pushback: Calloway County approved a one-year pause on new data centers while officials assess utility and environmental impacts. In Lexington, council candidates also debated rules for the facilities, amid wider calls for stronger local oversight. Major Energy Proposal: The Nuclear Company has proposed a 6.6-gigawatt nuclear campus in Lewis County, a project whose scale raises major questions about land, water and infrastructure. Paducah Site Concerns: At a community open house, nuclear startup General Matter addressed safety and environmental questions about its planned work at the DOE Paducah Site; residents have also raised concerns about soil being moved there. Pollution Penalty: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a creek in Lawrence County.

Data Center Oversight: Calloway County approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers, with exceptions possible if developers show projects won’t harm utilities or the environment. Lexington candidates also debated local rules as Louisville continues work on data-center regulations. Energy Projects: A company proposed a Lewis County campus of up to six nuclear reactors, totaling 6.6 gigawatts; environmental assessments are planned, but the project has not been approved. In Paducah, General Matter held a community open house on its nuclear-enrichment project, including safety and environmental questions. Clean Water: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE opened grants to repair or replace failing septic systems for eligible low-income homeowners across 42 counties, aiming to protect groundwater and streams. Flood Recovery: Franklin and Woodford counties expect their first closings soon under a buyout program for flood-damaged properties, which will become greenspace and help move residents out of flood zones. Pollution Accountability: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a creek in Lawrence County.

Nuclear Proposal: A company has proposed up to six reactors along the Ohio River in Lewis County, a potential 6.6-gigawatt campus and Kentucky’s first commercial nuclear plant. The project is in early development; environmental assessments and federal licensing work remain ahead. Clean Water: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE opened grants to help qualifying low-income homeowners repair, replace or install septic systems, aiming to keep sewage out of groundwater and streams. Data Center Concerns: Residents in Mercer and Jessamine counties are pushing back against hyperscale data centers over farmland, water and power demands, utility costs and wildlife impacts. Louisville officials are also weighing rules for the facilities, including their effects on utilities and ratepayers. Pipeline Plans: The proposed 50-mile Pennyrile natural gas pipeline has 51 easements in Christian County, but construction has not begun; final design depends on confirming the route and securing access. Power Plant Costs: Regulators approved Kentucky Power’s plan for a new cooling tower at its coal-fired Mitchell plant in West Virginia, subject to conditions including a federal grant to offset costs. Wildlife and Forests: Kentucky preserve managers are treating hemlocks in eastern Kentucky to slow an invasive insect that threatens trees and stream habitat for the threatened blackside dace.

Data Center Debate: Lexington protesters warned about the environmental costs of AI expansion, while Louisville planners work on rules for data centers before a temporary moratorium expires Feb. 9. Proposed safeguards include closed-loop water systems and requiring developers to pay for utility upgrades. Fuel and Power: Sen. Rand Paul renewed his push for year-round E-15 sales, which could boost corn-based ethanol demand. Kentucky Power also won state approval to build a new cooling tower at its coal-fired plant. Pollution and Cleanup: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a Lawrence County creek. At the Paducah DOE site, new questions have surfaced about soil transfer.

Fuel Policy: Sen. Rand Paul is again pushing year-round E-15 sales, arguing the corn-based fuel would benefit Kentucky farmers. Sustainable Agriculture: Kentucky State will host a national aquaponics conference in Frankfort Oct. 25–27, showcasing food production that reuses water and fish nutrients. Access to Nature: Frankfort’s new accessible bird blind at Leslie Morris Park opens during Birdability Week, with a wildlife pond and habitat improvements planned. Water Quality: Kentucky American Water is supporting Saturday’s drug take-back event in Lexington, which offers a way to keep unwanted medicines out of waterways. Pollution and Energy: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a Lawrence County creek, while state regulators approved a new cooling tower at a coal-fired power plant. New concerns have also surfaced over soil transfer at the DOE Paducah site.

Accessible Nature: Frankfort opened a new accessible bird blind at Leslie Morris Park, with a wildlife pond and habitat improvements planned. Energy: Kentucky’s Public Service Commission approved Kentucky Power’s $191 million replacement cooling tower at a coal-fired plant in West Virginia; approval depends partly on a federal grant, and the utility may seek to recover costs from ratepayers. Water Protection: A Lexington medication take-back event on Oct. 24 offers residents a way to keep unwanted drugs out of waterways. Pollution Enforcement: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a creek in Lawrence County. Habitat Management: Eastern Kentucky University is preparing controlled burns to mimic natural disturbances and support native species.

Energy and Ratepayers: Kentucky regulators approved Kentucky Power’s $191 million replacement cooling tower at a coal-fired plant near Moundsville, West Virginia. The utility may seek to recover costs from customers later; approval depends partly on using a $51 million federal grant. Pollution Enforcement: A Kentucky man was sentenced for polluting a creek in Lawrence County. Paducah Site: New questions have emerged over soil transfers at the Department of Energy’s Paducah site. Farm Conservation: USDA payments are supporting Kentucky’s agricultural economy through safety-net and conservation programs.

Pollution Penalty: A Lawrence County man was sentenced to five years’ probation, including 12 months of home detention, and fined $20,000 for dumping oil-field brine into Left Fork Blaine Creek for two years. Investigators found highly salty, orange water and no visible signs of life downstream. Wildlife Research: University of Kentucky researchers are studying pathogens carried by migratory birds, whose routes connect the Arctic to Kentucky via the Mississippi Flyway. The work uses genetic analysis to track potential disease threats to wildlife and livestock. Contaminated Land: A planned data center campus in Hawesville would redevelop a former aluminum smelter site where waste and PCB spills contaminated soil and groundwater, raising questions about building on polluted land. Septic Help: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE has opened a homeowner septic program for eligible residents in Lee and Owsley counties.

Waste Governance: Grant County’s Solid Waste Board says a state review supports its position that the Fiscal Court cannot use the cited statute to dissolve it, escalating a dispute over local waste oversight. Pollution Concerns: New questions have emerged over soil transfers at the DOE Paducah Site. Septic Systems: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE opened a homeowner septic program for Lee and Owsley counties, while another grant program is offering septic-system help. Energy and Land Use: Western Kentucky farmers are resisting a proposed pipeline route across their land, and Lexington approved limits on data-center size, power use and noise. Wildlife: Kentucky and Tennessee researchers’ four-year turkey-banding project tagged 1,719 gobblers to help assess survival and hunting pressure.

Creek Conservation: Elkhorn Creek’s smallmouth fishery is thriving, with anglers crediting Kentucky’s catch-and-release slot limit and more conservation-minded fishing. Cleanup in Paris: A $4 million EPA grant will fund testing and removal of contaminated soil around the former incinerator and waste station, clearing the way for a planned park with trails and play areas. Paducah Soil Questions: New questions have surfaced about soil moved from the DOE Paducah Site. Records cited by a source suggest the EPA review addressed industrial use, not whether the soil is safe for unrestricted use; the concerns remain under scrutiny. Land and Energy: Western Kentucky farmers are resisting a proposed pipeline route across their land, while a debate over the planned Paducah data center highlights the need to weigh local impacts and benefits. Fall Fire Risk: Dry conditions are raising wildfire concerns as Kentucky enters the fall hazard season.

Elkhorn Creek: The Bluegrass smallmouth fishery is drawing anglers from across the region. A local canoe operator credits a state fishing limit and anglers’ changing habits with helping keep the creek in good shape. Paris Cleanup: A $4 million EPA grant will fund testing and removal of contaminated soil around a former incinerator and waste-transfer station, clearing the way for plans for a park and trails in the Westside neighborhood. Paducah Site Questions: Soil removed from the Department of Energy site is raising new concerns. DOE says testing found it safe, but a source cited in local reporting disputes whether the review covered soil moved off-site for unrestricted use. Farm Support: USDA says Kentucky farmers, ranchers and landowners will receive about $259.4 million in safety-net and conservation payments, including annual payments through the Conservation Reserve Program.

Park Cleanup: Paris launched its Riverside Park project with a $4 million EPA grant to test and remove contaminated soil around a former incinerator and waste station, paving the way for trails and playgrounds. Paducah Soil Questions: New concerns challenge the claim that soil removed from the DOE site is safe: records cited by a source suggest EPA’s review covered industrial use on-site, not residential or recreational use elsewhere. Data Center Debate: Paducah leaders disagree over whether the proposed $100 billion energy hub should include a community benefits agreement in addition to tax revenue. Wildlife Rules: Kentucky has expanded bobcat hunting to nighttime and doubled the individual bag limit, despite the state wildlife agency lacking reliable population data. Farm and Water Support: USDA is delivering about $259 million in farm safety-net and conservation payments to Kentucky, while Eastern Kentucky PRIDE has opened septic-system grants for qualifying low-income households across 42 counties to help protect streams and groundwater.

Farm and Conservation Funding: USDA is sending Kentucky producers about $259 million in safety-net and conservation payments, including annual Conservation Reserve Program support. The state also received $414,000 for specialty-crop projects, while the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved $1.7 million for farm diversification and rural development. Wildlife: New Kentucky rules allow nighttime bobcat hunting and double the individual bag limit to 10, despite concerns that reliable population data are lacking. Land and Energy: Western Kentucky farmers are resisting pipeline construction on their land, as debate over data centers and their power demands continues across the state. Fire Risk: Dry conditions are raising concern during Kentucky’s fall wildfire season. Eastern Kentucky: Residents in Lee and Owsley counties can apply for a PRIDE program to help repair or replace failing septic systems.

Data Center Debate: Lexington approved limits on data-center size, power use and noise, as communities across Kentucky weigh bans and moratoriums. Pipeline Opposition: Farmers in western Kentucky are resisting pipeline construction on their land, putting energy infrastructure plans in conflict with farmland concerns. Plastic Reduction: UK’s BBN Tackles Plastic program is expanding to all residence halls. Wildlife Research: A giant crayfish found in Kentucky sparked a nationwide search that uncovered an even larger specimen and raised questions about the species’ maximum size. Local Conservation: Northern Kentucky’s Pendery Park nature trail opens next month, highlighting native plants and wildlife. Septic Funding: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE opened a homeowner septic program for qualifying residents in Lee and Owsley counties.

Drought and Water: Dry weather is worsening across Kentucky: 14.1% of the state is in moderate drought, and Stanford Waterworks is urging customers to conserve as low lake levels strain supplies. Campus Sustainability: The University of Kentucky has expanded its plastic-bag collection program to all residence halls; students turn the bags into sleeping mats for Lexington residents experiencing homelessness. Energy and Development: Lexington has approved limits on data center size, power use and noise, as communities across Kentucky debate the facilities’ impacts. Western Kentucky farmers are also resisting pipeline construction on their land. Septic Systems: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE has opened a homeowner septic program for qualifying residents in Lee and Owsley counties.

Energy and Data Centers: A proposed $100 billion AI campus in Paducah would pair a large data center with 2 gigawatts of natural-gas generation. Developers say closed-loop cooling will limit water use, while Lexington has approved tighter limits on data-center size, power and noise. Clean Water: Eastern Kentucky PRIDE is offering septic grants to qualifying low-income homeowners across 42 counties, targeting failing systems that can pollute groundwater and streams. Land Use: Campbell County’s planning commission advanced an 87-home subdivision near a creek already impaired by sediment; neighbors fear added runoff and flooding. Wildlife and Fire: A rehabilitated bald eagle was released in Land Between the Lakes, while dry conditions are raising concern as Kentucky enters fall wildfire season.