‘Exemplify hope and opportunity.’ 4 Kentucky abandoned mine land projects opening.
Three Eastern Kentucky counties celebrated new economic development opportunities Thursday provided by funding from the Abandoned Mine Lands Pilot Program.
Since 2016, the AML pilot program awarded $130 million in federal money to Kentucky. This year’s $14 million assisted Perry, Floyd and Clay counties with economic development and tourism projects.
The funding is aimed at boosting the economy of Appalachia, which has suffered with the decline of coal mining. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, said Kentucky is rethinking its future by bringing abandoned mine lands back to life in the form of new industries and opportunities.
“The combination of the war on coal and the downturn of the coal industry hit our region as you know harder than any other part of the country,” Rogers said. “We lost some 13,000 coal miners in Eastern Kentucky alone. Our coal producing communities desperately needed a lifeline and our coal miners needed new jobs, new educational opportunities now, immediately.”
In Perry County, Dajcor Aluminum Extruding Mill, located at the Coal Fields Regional Industrial Park, received $6.5 million in AML funding. The mill is expected to create up to 265 full-time jobs in its first U.S. operation. Dajcor Aluminum CEO Mike Kilby said the mill is ahead of production and hiring forecasts already.
The Prestonsburg to David Rails to Trails project was awarded $1.95 million. The trail opened this weekend, bringing 500 visitors, according to Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton. One was Adam Williamson who is confined to a wheelchair and told Stapleton the trail was the most he had ever been able to enjoy nature.
In Clay County, Impact Outdoor Adventures, a RV and camping facility on an abandoned mine land site, opened in July with the help of a $700,000 grant.
East Park, a multi-use industrial park at the junction of Boyd, Greenup and Carter counties, is starting new site work with a $4 million AML Pilot grant.
Gov. Andy Beshear said he is committed to rebuilding the economy in Eastern Kentucky.
“We, as Kentuckians, believe in our core that no matter where you are born you have to have true opportunity, educational, economically in the community that you grew up in,” Beshear said. “When any part of our state is suffering, we are all suffering.”
Thursday’s announcement was billed as a virtual ribbon cutting.
In Perry, Floyd and Clay counties, each project had a ribbon cutting ceremony that was displayed by video at the Capitol Rotunda.
“These four projects that are announced today they exemplify hope and opportunity for our people, whether it be a tourism destination, whether it would be rails to trails or whether it be infrastructure, or economic development opportunity,” said Rocky Adkins, Beshear’s senior advisor.
The event was initially scheduled for Tuesday but Beshear postponed it after feeling unwell in the morning. After a negative COVID-19 test, the event was rescheduled.