U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01), is pleased to announce grants to three area fire departments from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

The Kentucky Department of Revenue has set the 2015 State Real Property Tax Rate at 12.2 cents per $100 of assessed value. Kentucky Revised Statute 132.020 requires the Department of Revenue to set the real property rate no later than July 1 of each year.

"Today, as a result of a lawsuit filed by my office and 22 other states, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the EPA acted unreasonably when it failed to consider costs in developing a new regulation that would have required existing power plants to retrofit their systems at great expense to Kentucky ratepayers and businesses. These regulations would have raised utility rates and cost Kentucky jobs.

House Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (MI-06) issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics (MATS) rule.

Gov. Steve Beshear today announced nearly $1 million in grants have been awarded to 55 Community Early Childhood Councils (CECCs) covering 84 Kentucky counties to promote school readiness for children. Twenty-seven additional councils covering 33 counties have been invited to apply for the remaining funds of more than $280,000 bringing the total award to more than $1.25 million

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights invites everyone who cares about efforts to rid their communities of housing discrimination to participate in a one-day conference in Louisville, Ky., on Tuesday, June 30.

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved H.R. 2042, the Ratepayer Protection Act, by a vote of 247-180. The Ratepayer Protection Act was introduced by Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)

H.R. 2042 is a response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule regulating the carbon dioxide emissions of existing power plants, which according to some estimates could cost nearly half a trillion dollars over the next fifteen years.

Members of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power and Members from the House Kentucky Delegation will host a press conference at the U.S. Capitol triangle to discuss H.R. 2042, the Ratepayer Protection Act that will be considered before the full House on Wednesday. Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Rep. Andy Barr (KY-06), Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22), Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Rep. Renee Ellmers (NC-02), Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17)

Lester T. Sanders, realtor for Semonin Realtors and immediate past president of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors in Louisville, Ky., has been named to the Real Estate Industry Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Twelve Certified Local Government (CLG) grants totaling $86,448 have been awarded to nine communities for historic preservation-related activities, according to the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office (KHC). The annual matching grants fund qualifying projects submitted by participating citywide and county historic preservation commissions.

Lieutenant Governor Crit Luallen today announced a special one percent financing program to make buying a home more affordable for residents in the 54-county SOAR region. “A home provides security, continuity, stability and a sense of pride. And beyond that, affordable housing plays a role in job creation and stimulating the economy,” Lt. Gov. Luallen said.

The agreement allows Kentucky Power to increase annual revenue by $45.4 million, which is 57 percent of the amount sought by the company in its application. As part of the settlement, Kentucky Power agreed to drop its appeal of an earlier PSC decision that disallowed certain fuel costs, saving the company’s customers a total of about $54 million

Citi and Renew Financial today announced that they recently closed the first ever asset-backed security (ABS) transaction comprised of unsecured consumer energy efficiency loans. This is good news for Kentucky homeowners who need to make energy efficient improvements to their homes. The landmark transaction – in which Renew Financial and Citi issued $12.58 million in securities – creates a new asset class in the form of ABS backed by pools of residential energy efficiency loans.

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved $5,328,053 for 38 agricultural diversification and rural development programs across the Commonwealth during its June board meeting