hello all, 

another query,,,, 

is anyone on the list specifically familiar with, or working on, the US31W historic corridor that runs through several counties in southcentral kentucky near mammoth cave national park?  I have been working with some people who are trying to block development by a quasi-governmental "Development Authority",  of a 4000 acre industrial/business/air park, with a rail hub and trucking hub, to be located on the fragile sinkhole plain south and east of mammoth  (surface appears nice and flat to the eye, in this otherwise hilly and sinkhole pocked region, but is underlain by the most porous and fragile karst in the world)

although I'm in on the science side  (karst geology and hydrogeology, endangered species issues, etc, of which there are plenty), there is a whole nother component to the project's opposition, who represent the social-environmental justice issues, and farmland-historic preservation...  and my role in the whole thing seems to have evolved into an information/resources finder/facilitator for the local groups who are trying to protect their homes and lifestyles from being taken thru eminent domain or "demolition by abhorrent ugly unneccessary development 1000 yards away"...

so I said I'd ask the experts for references/resources,,,,  that would be you guys....  ;)

further information:  the state agencies who should be overseeing this travesty are "uninterested" ... and the state is "declining to enforce" a law which requires state review whenever 50 or more acres of prime farmland are to be converted to development other than for agriculture.... 

in other words, the state cavalry is not only riding to the rescue, it is fragging the locals....  I'll leave it to you-alls imagination as to WHY.....
(well, here's a hint:  MONDO $$$$$$$ up for grabs, to not necessarily lowest, but most definitely "best" bids on the construction...  define best, eh? -- the concrete MATERIALS contract for the runway alone is estimated to potentially be $35 mil, nevermind the price to lay down all that concrete  - and rumor has it that many of the regional aggregate suppliers and concrete contractors have been "quietly acquired" over the last 3 years, by an LLP with another LLC listed as owner, and the possibility that somewhere back behind all the unnamed "partners" are folks who MIGHT have conflicts of interest in the whole situation, but not necessarily ILLEGAL conflicts...  I've already been warned by several local people to "watch myself" since I started asking questions about these companies  (!!!!! eeeek) )

any help will be be greatly greatly appreciated by the approx 178 families  (some af-am families living on this land since it was deeded to them at the close of the civil war).....


deb  (the trailer lady, lately transmogrified back to the caving lady, although I HAVE seen quite a few beautiful old trailers on this development site...)

(please contact me off-list at mailto:[log in to unmask]
if you have information that would not be of interest to the group -- thanks!!)