Save Bernheim Now!

Bernheim attorneys state that “The procedural regulations and many laws in Kentucky (and many other states) are written to greatly favor extractive industries and highway projects over the rights of private landowners.” In addition, at the Bullitt County Court hearing, a Bernheim attorney accused one of the big corporations of benefiting directly from this pipeline, not hundreds of customers as the utility claims. To lay the pipeline, LG&E will cut 40 acres of forest, damaging endangered Indiana bat habitats and Kentucky glade cress, not to mention habitat for ferns and limestone caves and owls and all the precious features of Kentucky wilds. 

The Bernheim Forest press release tells people to “continue to use your voice to elevate the conversation around protecting wild places and pushing our community toward a more sustainable energy future.” You can also sign a petition here. 

About a month after we at the Loretto Motherhouse celebrated the conservation easement, a judge in Bullitt County, Ky., granted the LG&E utility company the right to seize land for a natural gas pipeline that would run through a portion of Bernheim Forest. Bernheim will appeal based on questions relating to conservation properties in the commonwealth that are secured with public funds or encumbered by conservation easements. Bernheim has both.

At Loretto we have signs on route 152, we have t-shirts to wear to demonstrations and to the appeal and we will continue to use our voice. For more information please watch the press conference below from the Save Bernheim Now Coalition.