WEST JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMUNITY TASK FORCE

05/22/2026

Did you miss the May 19, 2026 West Jefferson County Community Task Force (WJCCTF) virtual community meeting about the NAACP BUILD Grant to discuss Exposure Education for Patients and Clinicians (Environmental Health should be a part of your health analyses) presented by Louisville Environmental Climate Justice change partners: Arnita Gadson, ECJ Chair Louisville NAACP Unit, the University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, and the West Jefferson County Community Task Force? Get to know why it is important for you and healthcare providers to understand the impacts of environmental toxins on health and wellness, and the tools being developed to help increase awareness. You can learn more about the Health Impact Evaluation Tool discussed during the presentation and find out what environmental toxins may be impacting any address in Louisville, KY by going to https://www.udstudio.org/airtoxics/healthimpacttool. View the entire May 19th WJCCTF virtual community meeting replay here: https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/ #/s/46c9f8713ac21db77f96339f33cec694165a0894925439fbb62539119050096b

Announcements made at the meeting:
• Ms. Pam Raidt announced the LPM (Louisville Public Media) investigative reporting project on the gap in life expectancy between residents in West and East Louisville. Michelle Tyrene Johnson is the producer working on this project and their info and survey can be found here: https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-04-08/stolen-years
• Dr. Natasha DeJarnett announced, Curious about the impacts of data centers? Please join the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute upcoming webinar series “The Exchange: Data Centers 101” starting on June 3 at noon. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0jZWH5BHQ1uXzHHzn_q7jg #/registration and The Food & Science Forum on Thursday, June 11, 4 - 7:30 pm EDT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-science-tickets-1988855934639
• Don’t Forget, please complete the NAACP BUILD Grant Pre-survey at this link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=gEqtfuakCE6-udewphi3RHawls6qtStFknh-QleJ5pxUQTVLS1RHQ0VZSkVYVFozVlZOTVA4NzNVTi4u&origin=QRCode.
Stay aware! Stay Informed! Follow us on Facebook !

04/23/2026

DID YOU MISS THIS VERY IMPORTANT KENTUCKY DATA CENTER UPDATE? --- People talk about them, hear about them, push back against them, and advocate for them, but what is the real deal about Data Centers in Kentucky? The entire West Jefferson County Community Task Force (WJCCTF) virtual community meeting dedicated to information about data centers that was held Tuesday, April 21st, can be viewed here: https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/ #/s/f799d3905959a9ea6c6a8812306bfb96c8a8fccc8a7b51d6dac50ab13a5f12e6
Byron Gary, Kentucky Resources Council (KRC) Attorney, gave critical information about data centers and updates on LGE as well. His slide presentation can be accessed at https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:91edefc7-67bd-4ef6-8f0e-cd20cbe7202e, and he also provided a link to the KRC Model Data Center Ordinance. Please get in touch with KRC if you need additional information. Stay tuned for updates on important environmental issues by visiting the KRC website at https://kyrc.org/, following the WJCCTF on Facebook, or joining the WJCCTF Monthly Virtual Community Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month at 5:30 PM.

04/08/2026

Data Centers - What You Need to Know
Listen in on this interview by Arnita Gadson, President and CEO of WJCCTF, with David W. Hein, PhD. Dr. Hein serves as Peter K. Knoefel Endowed Chair of Pharmacology, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Distinguished University Scholar at the University of Louisville. He also serves as Deputy Director of the UofL Hepatobiology and Toxicology CoBRE and Director of the Research Experiences and Training Coordination core of the UofL Superfund Research Center. Get the Facts here on the WJCCTF Interview with Dr. Hein on WLOU/WLLV New Joyful Praize: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SU7os1E8RUPmVfcCfYdRratYq4_lr490/view?usp=drive_link
DON'T MISS OUT.

03/31/2026

Read James Bruggers interview with Passionist Earth & Spirit Center's Father Joe Mitchell about the interconnectedness of people and nature. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31032026/kentucky-passionist-priest-religion-and-nature/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQ5I1ljbGNrBDki7WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHpEVL2FtW_f1PwwY_13uDIUbZMbkRahjCMpOUQckvb9q65XbaS0nz-oC9Iye_aem_gToUee_0loqK1MXVxfGYkg

Father Joe Mitchell works to create a “new story” that recognizes the interconnectedness of people and nature.

03/22/2026

Your health matters, and what your medical providers know about environmental health also matters. The two things go hand-in-hand, but health care providers and community members need to know more about how the environment affects us all. The NAACP BUILD Grant aims to fill those gaps. Want to know more about the NAACP Build Grant? Follow this link to see a presentation that provides more details and research team contact information https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:dc73945c-76b4-436c-9506-a9d4023da33b
Complete the BUILD Grant Pre-Survey to help researchers be better informed by following this link (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=gEqtfuakCE6-udewphi3RHawls6qtStFknh-QleJ5pxUQTVLS1RHQ0VZSkVYVFozVl) or scanning the QR Code below

03/22/2026

🌍 LIVE IN LOUISVILLE? YOUR VOICE MATTERS. 🩺💬
Environmental factors like air pollution can affect our health—but many patients and doctors don’t always talk about environmental exposures during medical visits. A new community project, the NAACP BUILD Grant, funded by the National NAACP and led by the Louisville NAACP Branch and local partners, is working to change that by strengthening conversations between patients, healthcare providers, and the community about environmental health risks in Louisville.
📊 We’re asking for your help!
Please take our PRE‑SURVEY to help us understand current knowledge and awareness about environmental health and local air pollution. Your input will directly support the creation of patient‑friendly guides, community education, and tools for healthcare providers.
✅ Who should participate?
• Louisville residents
• Community members near industrial or high‑pollution areas
• Anyone interested in environmental health and community wellness
💚 Together, we can build confidence, knowledge, and stronger partnerships to protect our health and our neighborhoods.
👉 Take the PRE‑SURVEY today and be part of the change.
📲 Follow on Facebook to stay informed about upcoming community sessions and events.
The survey can be accessed at this link https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=gEqtfuakCE6-udewphi3RHawls6qtStFknh-QleJ5pxUQTVLS1RHQ0VZSkVYVFozVlZOTVA4NzNVTi4u&origin=QRCode. or by scanning the QR code below.

03/19/2026

Follow this link https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/ #/s/f0d759707468045264371e104f4d7bd4f8fecc377614aea7973743e90dceaef0, if you missed the March 17, 2026 West Jefferson County Community Task Force virtual community meeting. Topics discussed were Changes in EPA Regulations by Rachael Hamilton, JD, APCD Director, and the Utility Shutoff Protection Policy by Donovan Taylor, JD. Stay informed. Stay aware.

02/22/2026

If you missed the presentation by Donovan Taylor, JD on the Utility Shutoff Protection Policy and Collaboration Effort, the entire recording can be viewed here: https://cardmaillouisville-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/jlhart01_louisville_edu/IQDPYvv8uKd6QaDxaNHGSseAASNnt4pjDJd6_oEjRiNEZhs?e=2jpl9r&nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJTdHJlYW1XZWJBcHAiLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJTaGFyZURpYWxvZy1MaW5rIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXcifX0%3D
Our special thanks to Dr. Joy Hart and Dr. Natasha DeJarnett for recording this very important session. Stay tuned concerning this issue and upcoming opportunities to let our legislators know that this is of critical importance and we will not stop until our voices are heard.

02/18/2026

Due to technical difficulties on our end, many of you were not able to join last night's presentation by Donovan Taylor, JD, on the Utility Shutoff Protection Policy and Collaboration Effort. Our special thanks to Dr. Joy Hart and Dr. Natasha DeJarnett for recording the session which we hope can be posted on our page. Stay tuned for updates.

02/14/2026

JOIN THE CONVERSATION – YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
Don't miss the WEST JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMUNITY TASK FORCE
Virtual Community Meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 https://global.gotomeeting.com/.../1171947.../join/117194797
You can also dial in on your phone using Access Code: 117-194-797 USA: +1 (408) 650-3123

Utility Shutoff Protection Policy - Collaboration Effort
Donovan C. Taylor, BS, MBA, JD
Let’s explore what it would mean to adopt a collaborative approach to utility shutoff protection policies that aim to prevent service disconnection for vulnerable households, particularly during extreme weather (32⁰F or lower/95⁰F or higher) or for households with medical needs. Nearly 47 states already offer some form of protection.
We need your voice to help get this moving forward!