Since 1993, Kentucky Waterways Alliance has been a leader in the fight against pollution in our waterways – winning stronger protections for over 90 percent of Kentucky’s rivers, lakes and streams. We work with communities on local watershed issues and at the state and national levels advocating for the best regulations possible. With a mission to protect and restore Kentucky’s waterways, our work is making a difference in the quality of life for all Kentuckians one protected stream at a time.
Our work is made possible by our members, supporters and partners who are all working toward the same ultimate goal - healthy waterways and healthy communities in Kentucky.
Victories
- Better protections for 90% of Kentucky’s waterways. In 2001, less than 2% of Kentucky’s waters received protection from new or increased pollution from permit discharges. As a result of our work to improve Kentucky’s regulations, the EPA estimates that over 90% of the state’s waterways receive protection from unnecessary new pollutants.
- Protection of the Ohio River from increased pollution and the health of the people who use the river for recreation when we fought against changes that would have legalized increased levels of bacteria – and won.
- Protection of the drinking water of nearly one million Kentuckians. By advocating with the Sierra Club, we forced changes to a new permit for the massive International Coal Group mountaintop removal coal mine in Leslie County that would have allowed the filling and destroying of nearly two miles of streams. This permit challenge also stopped any new valley fill permits from burying streams for over 1 year in Kentucky!
- Protection of over 60 miles of streams and 2,000 acres of Kentucky’s wetlands when we worked to almost triple the number of Outstanding National Resource Waters in the Commonwealth.
Photo Location: Rockcastle River, KY Credit: Brandon Jett
