Dr. Len Peters, Kentucky’s
Secretary of Energy and Environment, spoke at today’s Capitol Connection
luncheon. The first thing you’ll notice about Dr. Peters is that he's
incredibly knowledgeable on pretty much every aspect of energy research,
development, distribution, regulation and policy. His speech was insightful,
but where he really shined was in answering questions from the audience of GLI members. From
the prospects for nuclear power in Kentucky
to EPA air regulations and the development of clean coal technology, Dr. Peters
spent more than 30 minutes shedding light on some of the hottest areas of energy
and environmental development.
Some
highlights:
- One of the biggest challenges the Cabinet faces is the uncertainty
over EPA air quality regulations. The cabinet is trying to gauge the direction
in which the EPA is heading.
- Affordable energy costs are critical to Kentucky’s
economic development, especially in terms of manufacturing (Kentucky
is third in the nation for manufacturing automobiles, after Michigan
and Ohio).
- Kentucky ranks third among the states in
production of coal for power. Both clean coal and alternative energy resources must
get appropriate investment and support.
- Kentucky’s biomass resources represent
the potential for millions in investment and 10,000 jobs.
- University research funding is essential to develop creative
energy solutions, and Kentucky
universities should receive much more than the $3.5 million they do now.
The
video of today’s luncheon will be up shortly on the GLI Video Page.
What
are your thoughts on Kentucky’s
energy future?