Environmental Watchdog

Key agreements with the federal government and energy suppliers will allow the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant to stay open for another year. The plant processes uranium for use in nuclear power plants. Under the new agreement, the plant has federal approval to re-enrich depleted uranium for the Tennessee Valley Authority and Energy Northwest. The United States Enrichment Corporation, the plant’s operator, previously said allowing re-enrichment at the plant was necessary to turn a profit.

The federal government has released its short-term energy outlook, and the news isn’t good for coal. This time last year, about 44 percent of America’s electricity was generated from coal. Now, that share has fallen to 36 percent. The news was predictably rosy for natural gas: low prices and increased environmental controls on coal mean more plants are burning gas, and natural gas has continued to expand its generation share.

The emerald ash borer has killed many ash trees since appearing in Kentucky in 2009, but arborists fear this could be the year when the voracious beetle really sinks its teeth into some of Lexington's most beautiful ash trees. Fortunately, even trees infested with ash borers can be saved if treated with chemical agents, said John Saylor, arborist-technician with the Urban County Division of Environmental Policy.

Thunderstorms could move into central and southern Kentucky this afternoon and evening. The storms - with damaging winds, heavy rainfall, hail and frequent cloud to ground lighting - could be created when a cold front combines with an already moist atmosphere, according to the National Weather Service. Showers and storms will linger over the Lake Cumberland and Bluegrass regions of the state Tuesday but severe weather is not expected.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission Thursday approved a proposal by Kentucky Utilities Co. and Louisville Gas & Electric Co. to construct a natural gas-fired generating facility at LG&E’s Cane Run plant in Jefferson County and to purchase an existing natural gas-fired plant in Oldham County. KU and LG&E plan to construct a 640-megawatt combined cycle generating plant at Cane Run. Combined cycle plants are designed to operate most of the time.