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"Kentucky's Energy Future...at the Crossroads" begins with the current condition of Kentucky energy policy. It takes a little over a page to come to the point that present policy boils down to one four letter word - "COAL."

The CPI report makes clear there is no one solution. As one speaker put it, "We don't have a silver bullet for energy issues. We have silver buckshot."

(Midway KY) - Four legislators shared their thoughts at The Women's Network's Annual Forum on this Saturday morning on Midway College's campus. Each brought their district's perspective to the need for a coherent energy policy.

" The Commonwealth's stated strategy defines energy efficiency as "the fastest, cleanest, most cost-effective and most secure way to meet Kentucky's growing demands." The state has one of the highest per capita energy usage rates in the nation. Therefore energy efficiency holds tremendous conservation opportunities and should command the highest priority in both budget and effort."

(Kentucky's Energy Future...at the Crossroads, page 3)

Bobby Clark, President of Sustainable Business Ventures, presented the recommendations contained in "Kentucky's Energy Future...at the Crossroads" to an audience of eighty on a Saturday morning when UK was preparing to kick off against Georgia at noon.

Clark spoke of energy production that is not coal. Hydropower is being generated along the Salt River. Solar power generated at Ft. Knox which could become the first net zero military base in the US. Wind power sufficient to handle a small portion of the grid is being researched. Biomass, in the form of switchgrass...

(Midway, KY November 8, 2014) - "Kentucky has traditionally regulated energy generation under a "least cost" or "lowest possible cost" standard, which has not allowed consideration of "externalities" in the rate-setting process. Externalities represent a variety of "outside" costs to rate-setting decisions--for example, health and environmental impacts and jobs and local revenues lost from the closing of a generating plant."

"Since 2011 Kentucky has lost 6,000 coal jobs, a 40 percent reduction in the industry workforce; for every coal job lost an estimated three additional jobs disappear. Kentucky coal production decreased in 2013 by more than 11.8 percent from 2012, to 80.5 million tons, the lowest level since 1963.57 Coal production will continue to drop leading to serious and potentially catastrophic job loss and significant reductions (estimated 41 percent) in coal severance tax collections that help fund local government services.."

Editor's Note: The parks referendum failed by an almost 3:1 margin.

Calloway County Judge Larry Elkins sent out a message for voters with questions on the parks referendum on tomorrow's ballot.

For example:

Q: What type of property will be subject to the park tax?

A: Many believe the only property to be taxed is real estate. The petition and the Referendum question clearly say ALL property, which means all property currently subject to local property taxes. This includes, but is not limited to, real estate, motor vehicles, boats, motorcycles, farm equipment, aircraft,and business inventory.

More questions and answers follow the jump.