Published: December 18, 2020 |

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A $1.5 million Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Pilot program grant has been awarded to the EastPark Industrial Park in Greenup and Boyd counties for site work linked to the construction of a 65,000- square-foot building project.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced the project Tuesday evening during the Ashland Alliance annual meeting that he attended virtually.

According to a news release from Beshear’s office, when completed, the project will allow Northeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority Inc. (EastPark) to compete for tenants that could bring new jobs to the region, drawing workers from Boyd, Greenup, Carter, Elliott and Lawrence counties.

“This AML grant is another solid building block for job creation and a healthier future for this area as we emerge from this pandemic and create a better commonwealth for all Kentuckians,” Beshear said in the release.

U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have championed $540 million in federal funding for the AML Pilot program since 2016, of which $130 million has been awarded to Kentucky, according to the release.

“We have an opportunity to shape the future of our region today, and through this pilot grant, we are preparing the EastPark Industrial Park for more jobs and new industry. We have the best workforce in the country, and this location will allow the next business to have a prime operating location just off I-64,” Rogers said in the release.

More than 70 applications for funding in the 2020 AML Pilot year were received by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Abandoned Mine Lands.

The EastPark site is one of 16 Build-Ready certified sites available statewide. Kentucky’s Build-Ready program allows companies looking to expedite their location process to select the state and begin construction immediately.

Source: The Herald Dispatch

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