Public commenter urges council to docket resolution opposing Senate Bill 89’s new water definition

During public comment at the March 11 work session, Amy Clark urged the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to docket a resolution directing the mayor to oppose Kentucky Senate Bill 89, which she said would redefine "waters of the commonwealth" and narrow pollution protections.

Clark told the council she provided a fact sheet from the Kentucky Resources Council and said the bill’s proposed definition would largely align state protections with waters deemed navigable under the federal Clean Water Act. She argued that approach would leave many Kentucky-specific resources unprotected, including karst aquifers and thousands of private wells that supply rural households and agricultural operations. Clark asked council members and the mayor to oppose the bill and to docket a resolution for action at an upcoming council meeting.

The transcript records Clark’s request and her summary of potential gaps in the bill’s reach; the council did not take action on her request during the March 11 work session.

Clark framed the issue as a conservation and public-trust concern, noting potential impacts to groundwater used for domestic supply, agriculture and industry. She urged prompt council action to oppose the proposed change in state-level water definitions.