(Letters to the editor are written from community members expressing their opinions about local issues. They are not news articles. To facilitate a robust community discussion, the Hendersonian welcomes letters to the editor that discuss these local issues from all points of view. The Hendersonian edits for clarity, style and if needed, brevity. Please be prepared to verify information contained in a letter. We reserve the right to decline publication of letters that are distasteful and disrespectful, or those that contain information that cannot be verified.
Send letters to news@the-hendersonian.com and include a phone number and town in which you live. We will call to verify that you are the writer but won’t publish the phone number.)
Real progress doesn’t divide communities
Dear Editor:
Progress does not destroy others to move forward. It does not need to.
Real progress doesn’t rely on half-truths or carefully worded narratives that hide the full cost. It doesn’t come wrapped in elite attitudes that dismiss the very people expected to live with its consequences.
We hear the phrase, “people should be able to do what they want with their land.”
But that argument rings hollow to families who have already been told what they can’t do with theirs—those who were prevented from building projects or adding on to their barn because of zoning regulations
People in this community are paying attention. They are asking questions, connecting with other towns, and learning from families who have walked away from land held for generations. Something is shifting. There is a growing understanding that money and influence do not always have to win!
It’s sad, but it says a lot when the response to those concerns isn’t thoughtful discussion, but personal attacks. Mocking people as though they are illiterate or using exaggerated “hillbilly” language to belittle them is not an argument—it’s a deflection.
The truth is, the same people being mocked are the ones raising families, running farms, building businesses, teaching children, caring for patients—and yes, living in the same modern world as everyone else. Of course they use electricity. Of course they understand infrastructure. That was never the question. The question is about scale, impact, fairness, and long-term consequences.
Reducing that conversation to insults doesn’t strengthen a position; it weakens it.
When neighbors are impacted, when wildlife is displaced, when research is limited or missing, safety and health are a valid concern; when rural landscapes are fundamentally changed, when a place known for inviting people to “Discover Your Nature” begins to resemble industrial sprawl— we must ask whether that is truly progress. Because real progress doesn’t divide communities. It doesn’t erase what people have built over generations. Real progress builds. It respects. It protects.
Melody Thompson
Robards
Shift in focus in planning commission hearing is concerning
Dear Editor:
I am writing today to express concerns following the first Planning Commission hearing regarding the ordinance for wind energy conversion systems.
After the Fiscal Court enacted the moratorium, the Planning Commission was tasked with gathering meaningful data and public input to develop an ordinance specifically tailored for Henderson County. The intent was clear — to take the necessary time to evaluate facts, hear from residents, and create thoughtful guidelines that serve the long-term interests of our community.
However, after the first hearing occurred, it felt less like a discussion on land use and siting criteria, and more like a question-and-answer session with Cordelio Power. That shift in focus is concerning.
Many residents came prepared with well-researched data and valuable insights regarding land use and siting considerations. Their efforts deserve recognition and, more importantly, careful consideration as part of this process.
I want to emphasize that these hearings are not about shaping an ordinance around a single proposed project or company. They are about establishing clear, fact-based guidelines that will apply to any future project seeking to operate in Henderson County.
The priority must remain on what is best for Henderson County—its residents, its land and its future. The ordinance should be built on objective data, community input and long-term planning—not influenced by the interests of any one developer.
If, in the future, a company wishes to develop wind, solar, or BESS projects in Henderson County and can meet the standards set forth in a well-crafted ordinance, then that process should move forward accordingly.
But right now, the responsibility before the Planning Commission is to create an ordinance that reflects the values, priorities and best interests of Henderson County and its people.
Noah Mills
Henderson
What ever happened to PFAS issue?
Dead Editor:
For generations, the Ohio River has shaped the story of Henderson. Industry along its banks has provided livelihoods, supported families and helped build the community many of us are proud to call home. Friends, relatives, and neighbors have spent their careers working inside these facilities. Their work helped build this town, and their contributions deserve respect.
That respect also requires an equally strong commitment to the health and safety of the people who live and work here.
In recent years, residents learned that facilities operated by Shamrock Technologies in Henderson were connected to environmental contamination involving PFAS chemicals. These substances are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down and can persist in soil, groundwater, and the human body for long periods of time. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has reported that exposure to certain PFAS compounds may be associated with increased risks of kidney and testicular cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, immune system effects and developmental impacts.
Testing conducted around the Shamrock facilities revealed extremely elevated concentrations of certain PFAS compounds in groundwater and surrounding areas. In some testing conducted by environmental consultants, concentrations of one compound reached approximately 345,000,000 parts per trillion in groundwater beneath the facility. These numbers are striking when compared with federal health advisory levels for drinking water that historically measured safety in the range of tens of parts per trillion.
Investigations also documented that between 2014 and 2018 contaminated water stored in tanks at the facility was discharged into a drainage ditch connected to a watershed feeding Canoe Creek, which ultimately flows toward the Ohio River. State environmental officials later concluded that releases from the facility likely contributed to PFAS contamination found in that creek.
Environmental sampling also detected PFAS compounds in soil, groundwater, and stormwater in areas surrounding the facilities. In some testing efforts, the chemicals appeared in a large majority of environmental samples collected near nearby neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces.
At the same time, testing of Henderson’s municipal drinking water system has shown levels below federal advisory limits. The city’s water intake on the Ohio River is upstream from Canoe Creek, and local officials implemented additional treatment measures such as activated carbon filtration to further reduce potential PFAS levels.
Shamrock Technologies has since taken corrective steps to address the problem. The company removed underground tanks that stored contaminated water, installed new emission controls and dust containment systems, and began working with regulators on environmental cleanup and monitoring efforts. These actions represent meaningful progress and demonstrate that improvements are possible when problems are identified and addressed.
Even with these efforts, the situation has left many residents with lingering questions. Public reporting has shown that officials and the company discussed the contamination for several years before the issue became widely known to the public. When environmental concerns involve substances that can persist in the environment for generations, timely and transparent communication is essential.
Public records also indicate that outside communications consultants were engaged to help advise local leadership on how information surrounding the situation should be communicated. If public resources were used to obtain guidance on limiting communication during a public health concern, it is reasonable for residents to ask a simple question. What other information might not yet be fully understood or shared?
None of these questions diminish the importance of industry to Henderson’s economy or the many hardworking people employed in these facilities. On the contrary, those workers and their families deserve the same level of protection and transparency as every other member of the community.
Henderson has always been a resilient river town. The strength of a community is not measured by whether difficult issues arise, but by how openly and responsibly they are addressed. Honest communication, responsible stewardship and a commitment to protecting both jobs and public health will help ensure that the same river that built this town continues to sustain it for generations to come.
Adam Blythe
Henderson
Rebuttal to Schneider’s rebuttal
Dear Editor:
Thank you to Judge-Executive Brad Schneider for taking the time out of his busy schedule to write a rebuttal to my Letter to the Editor, that was published in January. In his rebuttal, he made the following claims: The Hendersonian did not vet my information, and my letter contained false claims.
Schneider claimed that I said he had agreed to the ordinance sent by Cordelio. I merely stated that it appeared as such.
I cannot help but notice that, as I mentioned in my previous Letter to the Editor, Schneider is once again guilty of the very actions he accuses others of. So, allow me to, as the judge so eloquently put it, “set the record straight.”
Before The Hendersonian agreed to publish my letter, they requested several pieces of evidence to support my claims. The requested evidence was provided through public records requests of emails involving Schneider’s office. The dates of these emails and their relevance pertaining to my letter are as follows:
On July 21, 2025, Schneider’s office, along with others, received an email from Tim Vought of Cordelio Power. In paragraph three of said email, Vought mentions that Cordelio has been working with a law firm in Louisville to “…create an ordinance we’d (Cordelio) would like to be considered for adoption by Henderson County.” This is not, as Schneider stated “express(ing) their opinion about what a new wind ordinance here (would) contain” but rather attempting to promote a pro-Cordelio ordinance for Henderson while discouraging the County from drafting its own.
On December 9, 2024, Schneider sent an email to Brian Bishop. In the third paragraph of this email, Schneider discussed how he was approached by Tenaska and Cordelio to carve them out of the solar moratorium currently in place for the proposed Tier 2 solar field in Hebbardsville.
Simply bringing it to Mr. Bishop’s attention is not the issue. Instead, the issue is the lack of push back from Schneider to Cordelio. Nowhere in the emails from Dec 9th does it show that Schneider denied the request. This shows, to me at least, that he at least considered the request. Why would Schneider entertain the idea of carving them out of the moratorium when the moratorium was established to allow time to research the potential repercussions of installing the Tier 2 solar fields in the first place?
It is becoming increasingly difficult to underestimate Schneider—someone who does not hesitate to make accusations, only to be guilty of the very same offenses himself. We can only hope that when Schneider’s replacement makes a comment, their remarks are “more stringently vetted.”
Joseph Hortin
Henderson
County government needs a change in leadership
Dear Editor:
Due to the devastating industrial solar factories located in Robards, Kentucky, people are now very aware that the land and view outside their front door can be overwhelmingly changed with the stroke of a pen. The proposed Rock Bluff Energy Park that includes industrial wind turbines, solar factories, BESS complexes, and multiple transmission/distribution lines, have pitted neighbor against neighbor, fractured family relationships, and caused division among friends.
The primary elections are coming up quickly and Henderson County officials are facing many important decisions soon. The public has been told that the election shouldn’t only be about the proposed renewable energy projects. However, this one issue will change the landscape and unique atmosphere, culture, and daily rhythm of living in Henderson County for generations. The consequences of decisions made today will affect the lives of the citizens of Henderson County for decades.
A look at public meetings and recent social media exchanges indicate that Henderson County government needs a fundamental change in leadership. When people feel compelled to struggle for their voices to be heard, only to be dismissed, ignored, or met with sighs, smirks, and belittlement, it signals a breakdown in trust and civic engagement. In any thriving community, open communication and mutual respect between residents and their public representatives are essential.
There are several new candidates on the primary election ballot that have publicly advocated protection from foreign companies seeking to destroy our agricultural heritage and way of life. They are directly engaging with residents and actively listening to their feedback. These candidates demonstrate a commitment to representing the interests of the majority instead of the entitled few. Their approach signifies a shift toward more inclusive and responsive governance, where the voices of the community are not only heard but respected and considered in decision-making processes. This dedication to open dialogue and genuine consideration of local perspectives suggests the possibility of positive change in Henderson County leadership.
It’s time to say to those that have dismissed our pleas, “We will not be ignored any longer and our voices matter!” I encourage everyone to get out on May 19th and vote for new leadership in the upcoming primary election and make a positive change in Henderson County. The quality of life in Henderson County depends on it!
Lisa Lovell
Robards
