Judge blocks power line through Kentucky college’s century-protected forest

On April 2, 2026, a pivotal court ruling supported Berea College in its fight over forest land against East Kentucky Power Cooperative. The court’s decision underscored that the EKPC’s proposal for a transmission line inadequately assessed the environmental attributes of the forest. This ruling emphasized the importance of community involvement in such cases. However, the legal battle is far from over, as EKPC intends to challenge the court’s decision.