Public Opposition Letter to the Proposed Pike County Landfill

 TFEK — The Future of Eastern Kentucky

Public Opposition Letter to the Proposed Pike County Landfill

To the Officials of Pike County, the Kentucky Energy & Environment Cabinet, and the People of Eastern Kentucky:

The Future of Eastern Kentucky (TFEK) stands in firm and unequivocal opposition to the proposed landfill development in Pike County. This project threatens our land, our water, our economy, and the long‑term wellbeing of the communities we are working so hard to rebuild. Eastern Kentucky has carried the weight of outside exploitation for generations. We refuse to accept yet another project that extracts value from our region while leaving behind permanent risk and irreversible damage.

1. The proposal is incompatible with Pike County’s geography and environmental realities

Pike County’s steep terrain, fractured geology, high rainfall, and proximity of hollows to waterways make it one of the least suitable locations in Kentucky for a large‑scale landfill. These conditions dramatically increase the likelihood of:

- Leachate contamination of creeks, wells, and groundwater

- Slope instability and landslide risk

- Flood‑driven waste migration

- Long‑term environmental liabilities that fall on taxpayers, not developers

No engineering design can eliminate these risks in terrain like ours.

2. The landfill would permanently depress property values and weaken the tax base

Communities near landfills experience measurable declines in:

- Residential property values

- Commercial investment

- Tourism and recreation activity

This means fewer families able to build wealth, fewer businesses willing to locate here, and a shrinking tax base for schools, emergency services, and infrastructure. Pike County cannot afford another economic setback disguised as “development.”

3. The project undermines regional revitalization and the future we are building

TFEK and our partners are working to create a diversified, resilient economy rooted in:

- Mixed‑use development

- Outdoor recreation

- Clean industry

- Small business growth

- Modern waste‑to‑industry systems that create jobs without environmental harm

A landfill is fundamentally incompatible with this vision. It signals to investors, families, and employers that Pike County is a dumping ground rather than a destination for opportunity.

4. The long‑term costs outweigh any short‑term revenue

Landfills bring:

- Heavy truck traffic and road degradation

- Increased maintenance costs for county infrastructure

- Public health burdens

- Multi‑generational environmental monitoring obligations

These costs persist long after the operator leaves. Counties across the country have learned this lesson the hard way. Pike County should not be next.

5. Better alternatives exist—and Pike County deserves them

TFEK supports modern, economically productive waste solutions that:

- Reduce landfill volume

- Convert waste into usable industrial inputs

- Create skilled jobs

- Protect land and water

- Strengthen local tax revenue

We are prepared to work with county officials, state agencies, and community partners to advance these alternatives.

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Our Position

TFEK urges:

- The Pike County Fiscal Court to reject any zoning or land‑use approvals

- The Kentucky Division of Waste Management to deny permit advancement

- State legislators to support protective measures for Appalachian communities

- Residents to participate in public comment periods and community meetings

Eastern Kentucky has the right to clean water, safe communities, and a future defined by innovation—not by waste imports and environmental risk.

We call on all decision‑makers to stand with the people of Pike County and reject this landfill proposal in full.

Respectfully,

The Future of Eastern Kentucky (TFEK)

Advocating for a resilient, prosperous, and self‑determined Appalachian future