December 2022
Governor Andy Beshear
700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Dear Governor Beshear,

I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose the methane gas pipeline that LG&E is planning to build through Bernheim Forest and surrounding farmlands, and to use your influence to stop it. There are so many reasons that I, as a citizen of Kentucky, oppose this pipeline through beloved Bernheim:

— We are in the early stages of a climate catastrophe: Kentucky must transition away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy economy if we have any hope of maintaining a livable world for ourselves and our children. Consider the deadly tornadoes in Western Kentucky and floods in Eastern Kentucky—severe weather events like these will only worsen if we do not transition now. LG&E must stop building fossil fuel infrastructure and move to sustainable sources of energy.

— With over 500,000 visitors from the U.S. and abroad every year and 16,140 acres of nature, Bernheim is a much-loved Kentucky treasure that must be protected.

— There will be serious environmental damagefrom the construction and maintenance of this pipeline, including risks of water contamination, and loss of habitat for 15 threatened and endangered animal and plant species.

— A pipeline would violate Bernheim’s Conservation Easement.

— There’s considerable fire risk to the forest and surrounding farms because of the instability of the land through which the pipeline will run.

— Methane gas is a very powerful greenhouse gas and the second largest cause of global warming. It will inevitably leak into the atmosphere throughout the production and transmission process.

— Jim Beam is moving toward renewable Biogas as an energy source, and it is therefore questionable whether the pipeline is needed.

I hope that you will speak out against this pipeline and continue to lead Kentucky toward a clean energy future.

Sincerely,
(name, address or email)

December 2022
Mr. John Crockett
President, LG&E/KU
220 West Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202

Dear Mr. Crockett,

As a concerned Kentuckian and LG&E ratepayer, I am writing to strongly urge you to immediately halt your plans to build a methane gas pipeline through Bullitt County, and to drop the condemnation proceedings against Bernheim Forest and other landowners. LG&E has the power and potential to lead our state into the clean energy future we so desperately need—but not if you continue to build new fossil fuel infrastructure.

There are so many reasons that this pipeline is bad news for Kentuckians and for LG&E:

— The financial cost of running a pipeline through this land is likely to be much higher than today’s estimates, which would burden ratepayers and LG&E alike.

— There will be serious environmental damage from the construction and maintenance of this pipeline, including risks of water contamination, and loss of habitat for 15 threatened and endangered animal and plant species.

— A pipeline would violate Bernheim’s Conservation Easement, which would tarnish LG&E’s public image.

— There’s considerable fire risk to the forest and surrounding farms because of the instability of the land through which the pipeline will run. An explosion could result in a forest fire or loss of human life.

— Jim Beam is moving toward renewable Biogas as an energy source, and it is therefore questionable whether the pipeline is needed.

— We are in the early stages of a climate catastrophe: Kentucky must transition away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy economy if we have any hope of maintaining a livable world for ourselves and our children.

I hope that you will be a leader in our community and halt the construction of this pipeline.

Sincerely,
(name, address or email)

December 2022
Mr. Vince Sorgi
President/CEO of PPL Corporation
2 N Ninth St,
Allentown, PA 18101

Dear Mr. Sorgi,

As a concerned Kentuckian and LG&E ratepayer, I am writing to strongly urge you to immediately halt your plans to build a methane gas pipeline through Bullitt County, and to drop the condemnation proceedings against Bernheim Forest and other landowners. LG&E has the power and potential to lead our state into the clean energy future we so desperately need—but not if you continue to build new fossil fuel infrastructure.

There are so many reasons that this pipeline is bad news for Kentuckians and for LG&E:

— The financial cost of running a pipeline through this land is likely to be much higher than today’s estimates, which would burden ratepayers and LG&E alike.

— There will be serious environmental damage from the construction and maintenance of this pipeline, including risks of water contamination, and loss of habitat for 15 threatened and endangered animal and plant species.

— A pipeline would violate Bernheim’s Conservation Easement, which would tarnish LG&E’s public image.

— There’s considerable fire risk to the forest and surrounding farms because of the instability of the land through which the pipeline will run. An explosion could result in a forest fire or loss of human life.

— Jim Beam is moving toward renewable Biogas as an energy source, and it is therefore questionable whether the pipeline is needed.

— We are in the early stages of a climate catastrophe: Kentucky must transition away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy economy if we have any hope of maintaining a livable world for ourselves and our children.

I hope that you will be a leader in our community and halt the construction of this pipeline.

Sincerely,
(name, address or email)

December 2022
Mr. Kent Chandler
Chairman, KY Public Service Commission
211 Sower Blvd
Frankfort, KY 40601

Dear Mr. Chandler,

I am writing today to ask you to revoke permission granted to LG&E to run a high-pressured methane gas pipeline through a 40 acres in Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest. This would be a terrible and potentially tragic mistake. Reasons that are particularly germane to the Public Service Commission include:

1. What is the need for this pipeline? I understand that the primary user of this pipeline was intended to be Jim Beam. However, they plan to utilize energy from biodigesters to generate the power that they need. I have heard LG&E claim that they have 500 customers in need of energy, but who are these customers? LG&E is not being forthcoming about who will benefit from this pipeline.

2. There are serious safety concerns with the pipeline route. The LG&E pipeline presents a serious fire risk to both local residents and to Bernheim Forest and its wildlife. The land through which this pipeline is expected to run includes numerous sinkholes below ground and landslides above ground, making it unstable and unacceptable for a gas pipeline. Should the pipeline rupture due to this instability and gas explosions occur, Bernheim’s forest will be subject to fire and place the lives of rural residents at risk. In fact, the pipeline is slated to run 30 feet from a child’s bedroom on one of the local farmers’ land! This is a tragedy waiting to happen, especially since there are no emergency services for residents or in the forest that would put such a fire out.

3. The pipeline is unjust. Who will pay for the pipeline? The expected cost of this pipeline is now estimated at $74,000,000 – which is triple what it was when first proposed. With the current economy and inflation, and with maintenance on unstable land, it will likely be much more. Who pays for this? It does not seem fair and just to expect Jefferson County residents to pay for a pipeline being run through Bullitt County intended to serve Bullitt County businesses. Additionally, Bullitt County farmers will experience all the harm of running a gas pipeline through their farmland but receive none of the benefit. They are not even LG&E customers!

Please immediately pull the permissions granted to LG&E for the pipeline through Bernheim!

Sincerely,
(name, address or email)