Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton (D) this week declared a six-month moratorium on additional applications for building power plants. He questioned whether the environment and power grid could cope with new plants already under way. Environmentalists, who have been asking since April for a moratorium, were disappointed that Patton’s order did not also apply to 24 plants that beat the deadline and have permits pending. Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council, said, “This is like closing Pandora’s box after everything inside is already out.”
