FRANKFORT, Ky. — Today, Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians on economic development growth; his new Education First Plan; water systems improvements in 102 Kentucky counties; the historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky; grant funding to support victims of violent crime; National Prescription Take Back Day; federal grants for clean school buses; and COVID-19. He also named the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program and everyone who attended the Blue-White Game this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.
Economic Development Update
The Governor highlighted five economic development projects expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs and represent more than $378 million in new investment and said that more announcements would be coming over the next several days. He also highlighted cooperative agreement awards from the U.S Department of Commerce that will provide great opportunities for the commonwealth’s growing manufacturing sector.
Today, Gov. Beshear announced UPS Supply Chain Solutions Inc. will grow its presence in the commonwealth with two new-location projects totaling $334 million in investments and creating 435 high-wage jobs in Jefferson and Bullitt counties.
The Governor announced that Encompass Health and Baptist Health took another step toward a planned $40 million investment to establish a new physical rehabilitation facility in Jefferson County. The new facility will relocate an existing rehab unit at Baptist Health and create 42 well-paying jobs. News of this project first broke a year ago, and today the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority approved state support with funding through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act. This investment calls for the construction of a 48,000-square-foot, 40-bed, comprehensive inpatient rehab hospital on Bluegrass Parkway. The facility will offer high-intensity rehab services with private rooms, a dialysis suite, a therapy gym and all the resources necessary to help patients recover fully and more quickly.
Yesterday, the Governor attended the grand opening of AppHarvest’s new salad greens production facility in Berea. Once fully operational, the 15-acre high-tech indoor farm operation is expected to harvest up to 10 miles of lettuce per day. With sites opening in Berea, Somerset and Richmond, company officials expect the number of employees to soon reach 1,000. To learn more, see the company’s full release.
Yesterday, Gov. Beshear joined Community Wellness as the company opened a 22,000-square foot 24×7 telehealth patient monitoring and training facility in Danville. To learn more, see the full release.
Tuesday, Gov. Beshear joined local officials in Breckinridge County and leaders from Kentucky-based Atlas Machine and Supply Inc. as the company broke ground on its new 32,500-square-foot facility in Hardinsburg, creating 78 well-paying jobs for local residents with a $3.47 million investment.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology announced cooperative agreement awards totaling nearly $19.8 million to four organizations across the country to operate Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers. Gov. Beshear announced that Kentucky was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of this agreement, with the University of Louisville Research Foundation being the host of the state’s MEP Center. The total anticipated funding from this agreement over a five-year period is $6.2 million.
Education Announcement Recap
With the World Health Organization stating last month that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, Gov. Beshear joined state education leaders today in the Capitol Rotunda to announce his Education First Plan. To read more, click here.
Water Project Announcements
Today, the Governor announced $217,200,881 in funding to support 408 projects that will provide clean drinking water and improve water systems across 102 counties in Kentucky. The funding comes from the second round of Gov. Beshear’s Cleaner Water Program. Approximately 1,500 unserved and 38,000 underserved homes will benefit from the water and sewer line projects alone. This does not include the Kentuckians who will benefit from projects like water and sewer treatment plant projects or water tank projects.
Ohio County is set to receive $1,444,023 in funding for water and sewer projects.
Eastern Kentucky Flood Update
Gov. Beshear provided an update on Eastern Kentucky stabilization and rebuilding efforts following July’s historic floods.
More than $81.7 million in grants have been approved under the Federal Emergency Management Agency Individuals and Households Program for 8,263 households. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is tomorrow, Oct. 28. Over $54.8 million has been approved under the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Thanks to significant progress in removing right-of-way debris, residents who still have flood debris eligible for pickup should move it to a state or county right-of-way or deposit it at a designated community drop-off site by Nov. 1. Crews will be making final rounds to collect debris. This applies to Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Knott, Letcher, Perry and Pike counties. The phasing out applies to roadside debris collection only. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will continue to clear streams of debris and transport damaged vehicles found in public rights of way to vehicle management sites. Residents unable to meet the deadline should follow up with their county fiscal court to pursue further private property debris removal by county-selected contractors.
The Governor said that Kentucky State Parks are currently housing 259 people. Currently, 559 individuals are being housed in travel trailers. There are 305 travel trailers on site in 10 different locations.
To date, the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund has raised over $10.5 million from more than 39,000 donors. The Governor highlighted and thanked Gravity Diagnostics for donating $50,000 to the fund. To contribute, click here. For other information regarding flooding in Eastern Kentucky, visit governor.ky.gov/FloodResources.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Announcement
In September, Gov. Beshear sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting a primary disaster designation for the counties affected by the historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky in July. Today, the Governor announced that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has approved 14 primary counties and 10 additional counties for disaster designation.
The 14 primary counties are Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Wolfe. The 10 contiguous counties are Bell, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Harlan, Jackson, Lawrence, Menifee, Powell and Rowan. Farmers in these counties have eight months to apply for emergency loans until June 24, 2023.
The USDA provides several disaster assistance programs, including the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program and the Emergency Conservation Program. To apply, visit fsa.usda.gov.
Funding to Support Crime Victims
Today, Gov. Beshear announced $7,983,444 in grant funding to 56 programs and projects that support victims of violent crime. Gov. Beshear and Kerry Harvey, secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, are using the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to ensure that support for victims and survivors of crime continues despite the nationwide reduction in the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) awards.
National Prescription Take Back Day
The Governor is encouraging Kentuckians to participate in the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day scheduled nationwide on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT. This Saturday, Kentuckians can choose a location closest to them with at least 80 options available to dispose of their prescription drugs. To view locations near your zip code, county or city, click here.
Kentucky Gas Prices Continue to Decline
Gov. Beshear shared that Kentucky is one of the states with the lowest gas prices in the nation. The average price for gas in the commonwealth is 37 cents lower than the national average of $3.760 at $3.393, according to the American Automobile Association. To see a full list of actions Gov. Beshear has taken to provide Kentuckians relief from high gas prices as well as tips to help families save, click here.
Federal Grant for Clean School Buses
The Governor said Kentucky was awarded almost $27 million from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program to provide a total of 68 electric school busses to 10 Kentucky school districts. The districts are in Caldwell, Carter, Christian, Fleming, Knox, Leslie, Trigg, Union, Warren and Wolfe counties.
“As a dad of two young kids, nothing is more important to me than making sure all of our children are safe and healthy,” said Gov. Beshear. “By working to improve our air quality, we’re making a difference for Kentucky children and families, as well as helping protect our environment.”
COVID-19 Update
Gov. Beshear said the most recent COVID-19 data continues to be encouraging. The number of new cases reported each week continues to decline, fewer Kentuckians are hospitalized for COVID-19 than at nearly any point during the past two years and more counties are showing as “green” on the COVID-19 community levels map. The Governor and the Kentucky Department for Public Health continue to recommend that people get boosted with the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Locations and appointments can be found on vaccines.gov.
Team Kentucky All-Stars
Saturday, the University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball team held their annual Blue-White Game at the Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville to raise money for those affected by July’s historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky. Gov. Beshear named the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program and everyone who attended the Blue-White Game, which raised $162,450 for the Team Kentucky Flood relief fund, this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.
“Let me tell you, this game was all about Eastern Kentucky. It was a really special day for the families affected. Especially one survivor who was sponsored by a $100 donation to the fund,” said Gov. Beshear. “I was so proud to be there – and all I saw were smiles. Which is pretty incredible after all these folks have been through.”