HARLAN, Ky. (WYMT) — Senator Johnnie Turner, who represents Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, and Letcher counties, has emphasized his commitment to the coal industry in the region.
Turner strongly believes that efforts to undermine the coal industry will not succeed in Kentucky. “This government trying to kill the coal industry—it just isn’t going to happen in Kentucky,” he asserted.
In 2023, Turner sponsored a Senate Bill that became law after lawmakers overrode the Governor’s veto. The new law mandates that the Energy and Environment Cabinet process water permit applications within a specified deadline.
“As legislators, we fund that department and dictate how it should operate, especially in relation to the coal industry here in eastern Kentucky,” Turner explained.
He recently sent a letter to the Energy and Environment Cabinet, expressing concerns about delays in permit approvals ahead of the September 30 deadline.
In response, the Energy and Environment commissioners stated, “The regulatory timeframe for issuing individual coal permits is one hundred eighty days. Only one of the current applications has exceeded this timeframe.”
Turner, feeling a sense of responsibility both as the bill’s sponsor and as a resident of eastern Kentucky, said, “It’s a ripple effect we can’t afford right now. People who live here, who rely on coal for their livelihoods, just can’t tolerate these delays. As legislators, our role is to ensure that the government adheres to the tasks we set to protect our people in eastern Kentucky.”