We are Kentuckians. We believe that today we have our best chance in decades to build New Power in Kentucky. New Power means thousands of new jobs, healthy communities and opportunities for our children.
But we have to address the problems caused by Old Power – old political power, old economic power and old energy power. We have to:
- make a Just Transition to cleaner and safer forms of energy that create new jobs and respect our resources
- reform our tax structure so it’s fair and supports quality schools, healthy and safe communities, and an effective state government
- restore voting rights and enable all Kentuckians to participate in our democracy
- choose better leaders who represent ordinary people instead of powerful interests
- protect our water, air, land, people and planet by addressing the problems caused by coal mining and burning fossil fuels
KFTC is a grassroots organization of 10,000 members across Kentucky. We have local chapters and at-large members in many counties. We use a set of core strategies, from leadership development to communications and voter empowerment, to impact a broad range of issues, including coal and water, new energy and transition, economic justice and voting rights.
Our members are:
- Folks from cities, rural areas and small towns
- Workers, unemployed and retired
- People of all income levels
- Families and single people
- Teachers, farmers, miners, nurses, social workers …
- Young and old
“Many of us are working to create a better future for our children and grandchildren – and we’ve got lots of possibilities and real ideas about how to do that. We’ve got a bright future if we want it.”
Carl Shoupe
Harlan County
We invite you to join us in working together for a better Kentucky and Appalachia.
Our commitment to diversity
KFTC is committed to building a strong, diverse organization. Racism, classism and other forms of oppression stand in the way of our vision and are among the root causes of the problems we’re working to address. We bring together people from diverse backgrounds and help them see the connections between their communities and issues – to build long-term, mutually supportive relationships that are the basis for building power together.
http://kftc.org/campaigns/energy-democracy
Energy Democracy
As Kentuckians, we want what everybody wants:
- more affordable energy
- good jobs that don’t do damage to our land, air, or water
- a say in the important decisions that affect us
- healthy communities.
This is why we’re working hard to build an energy democracy in Kentucky
Energy Democracy is the simple idea that communities, not companies, should control and benefit from our energy resources and systems. We know it’s not enough to advance clean energy solutions, unless those solutions are also putting power in the hands of residents, workers, and low-income and people-of-color communities.
In a state like Kentucky, where our utilities are monopolies that decide where we get our energy and how much we pay for it; where Kentuckians across the state consistently choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table; and where our energy predominantly still comes from extractive and profit-driven fossil fuel industries, working for energy democracy can look like many things.
We have a vision for Kentucky’s energy democracy, and we’re taking action:
- We’re educating Kentuckians, particularly those who belong to a rural electric cooperative, through the Power House Project. This series of free workshops around the state teach Kentuckians how to reduce our bills and save energy, how to benefit from solar energy and utility energy efficiency programs, and how to collectively hold our utilities and elected officials accountable.
- We’re speaking out and standing up against unfair and frequent rate increases by Kentucky’s investor-owned utilities. Click here for more information on the most recent campaign to stop Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities from raising–and rigging–rates.
- We’re working to support innovative, local, and community-led solutions to Kentuckians’ high bills and poor housing stock, through programs like Benham$aves,
- We’re fighting for statewide policies that protect Kentuckians’ right to clean, affordable energy and a say in where it comes from. This ranges from our fight to protect rooftop solar in 2017, 2018 and 2019, to our advocacy for the Clean Energy Opportunity Act, to our collaboration with other solar advocates around the state to advance a narrative that solar works in Kentucky.
Claiming our energy democracy will be an important and necessary step in Kentucky’s Just Transition to equitable clean energy economy that works for all of us, no matter our color or gender, where we come from, or how much money we have.
