BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
In a move towards addressing troubling water systems in Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District, U.S. Representative Harold “Hal” Rogers has requested a sum of $5 million for water system improvements in Martin County. This comes as part of an $85.85 million Community Project Funding package, which targets 15 critical projects across the region.
“While we try to address the immense list of needs across Kentucky’s Appalachian region, these requests focus on essential needs, like water, sewer and housing for individuals still in need of a home after the flood,” Rogers said about the initiative.
Urgency in addressing water woes
The urgency to tackle the aging and beleaguered water system in Martin County is not lost on Rogers. He has called for funding to install almost 50,000 linear feet of water distribution lines, replace 240 residential meters and revamp service lines. Rogers also drew attention to the grave history of the Martin County Water District, which has been plagued by lengthy water outages and a significant water loss of 72%.
“This funding is expected to alleviate prolonged water outages and ensure a reliable supply of clean drinking water to the residents of the county,” Rogers said in his funding request.
Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty, who personally sought Rogers for the funding, expressed optimism but insisted that this was only the beginning.
“We’re tremendously appreciative of Congressman Rogers,” Lafferty said. “This will help us, of course, but $5 million is just a start. It doesn’t get us to where we need to be. We still need $70 million to cure our water crisis completely.”
Persistent pursuit of funding
The judge plans to stick with the $70 million figure in the pursuit of water funding.
“If we get $5 million here, then $15 million there, we will go back next year and need $50 million,” he said. “Then if we get $10 million of that, we’ll need $40 million the next year and on and on. And we’re deserving of it.”
Lafferty announced plans to begin frequent trips to Washington while continuing his rounds in Frankfort to secure funds.
“There is a lot of money available right now for coal-impacted counties,” said the judge, adding that coal mining communities in the western part of the country were also adversely affected. “There are trillions available nationwide and billions slated for Kentucky. We need our share of that. We need $70 million of that money.”
Lafferty commented that in the 1980s and 1990s, Martin County was No. 1 in coal production year after year, often trading first and second place with Pike County.
“A tremendous amount of wealth has been taken out of our county,” stated Lafferty. “Our streams have been adversely affected from the headwaters to the mouth. Every stream you look at has been affected. Our roads have been affected, our people have been affected, and their health has been affected while we’ve sent forth a tremendous amount of wealth to the rest of this state and the rest of this nation.
“We’re willing to work with anyone who can understand our story and help us rebuild our community.”
A vision for community rebuilding
Lafferty also laid out a vision for rebuilding the community: “That means infrastructure. You can’t build upon anything if you don’t have the infrastructure. That’s water, sewage, flood control, broadband and other infrastructure that we must have to compete nationally and certainly internationally.”
The judge said the county must be “smart this time around with our grants.”
“We have great people here,” he added. “You’ll find good people wherever you go, but when people come here, they find good-hearted people willing to lend them a hand. We have great values here as a society and must do whatever we must to preserve that society.”
He also voiced concerns about the depopulation of Martin County and the pressing need to offer a quality of life to attract residents.
“To have economic development and give people a reason to move here or to stay, we have to provide them with jobs and a quality of life,” he said. “We’re way behind in many of those areas, but it all starts with the $70 million we need for our water. And we probably need that much for our sewer system.”
Lafferty believed the county had a good chance of getting $4.5 million in Rogers’ request this year.
“So $5 million is a tremendous leap forward,” he said optimistically.
Encouragement from Rogers
Congressman Rogers, who has submitted funding requests on behalf of local government leaders and qualifying nonprofit organizations for fiscal year 2024, shared his encouragement for the initiative.
“These earmarks provide an opportunity for our rural communities to advocate for their priority projects, as they work to address their most pressing issues. I applaud our local leaders for submitting competitive applications that will make our region a better place to live,” said Rogers.
He acknowledged that the funding had some distance to cover but celebrated the progress, stating, “The funding has a long way to go, but we have passed some major hurdles that are worth celebrating.”
The full House Appropriations Committee has already approved 12 of the 15 projects, with the remaining three anticipated to pass as the committee continues its work on finalizing federal funding bills.
Rogers included the following Community Project Funding requests for Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District:
1. Kentucky River Flood Mitigation Study – $500,000 will enable the United States Army Corps of Engineers to investigate potential flood mitigation solutions along the Kentucky River and its watershed. East Kentucky experienced disastrous flooding in July 2022, which led to the loss of at least 44 lives, as well as the destruction of thousands of homes and businesses.
2. Somerset Northern Bypass – $45 million to construct the Somerset Northern Bypass from US27/LN 9008 Louie Nunn Cumberland Parkway Interchange to the KY 461/KY 80 Interchange in Pulaski County. The bypass will provide a vital artery for state and regional economic growth from western to eastern Kentucky. It will help provide a true east-west connector linking I-65 to I-75, facilitating greater economic access.
3. Operation UNITE – $2 million to enhance and expand prevention and treatment efforts through school-based drug prevention clubs and community anti-drug coalitions.
4. Eastern Kentucky PRIDE Septic System Program – $1 million to provide grants to install septic systems or connections to sewer lines for qualifying low-income homeowners who currently have a failing septic system or no wastewater treatment method.
5. City of Ashland Wastewater Treatment Plant – $4 million to provide for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in Ashland, Kentucky. This will upgrade and expand existing facilities in compliance with federal code, providing safe and reliable water services to thousands of customers.
6. Morehead Utility Plant Board Water System Improvements – $3 million to provide critical water system improvements in Morehead, Kentucky. This project will expand water treatment plant capacity, install a new raw water intake to meet demand, and provide system resiliency measures to ensure reliable service.
7. Morehead State University Space Tracking Stations – $9,953,000 for equipment to improve the Space Tracking Stations at Morehead State University to achieve higher data rates in support of future NASA programs, including the Near Space Network, Artemis, Gateway and Moon to Mars programs. They will also provide communication, tracking and navigation services to NASA while enhancing the aerospace workforce pipeline in East Kentucky.
8. City of Cumberland Water System Improvements – $1 million to implement critical water system improvements. The project would also provide first-time city water service to some residents in Letcher County who live in the most difficult terrain for water infrastructure construction.
9. Southern Water and Sewer District Water System Improvements – $3 million to update and replace aging and outdated equipment at the water treatment plant and intake structure to meet state and federal drinking water regulations. The water treatment plant and distribution system will supply clean and reliable drinking water to the communities of Allen, Eastern, Garrett, Langley, McDowell, Minnie, Wayland and Weeksbury, located in Floyd County.
10. Homes for Flood Victims – $3 million for the Housing Development Alliance, Inc. to construct new affordable homes for victims of the catastrophic 2022 flooding in East Kentucky. Housing remains the No. 1 need for those impacted by this disaster. The homes will be sold at appraised value and financed for the homebuyer through forgivable grants and loans.
11. City of Manchester Raw Water Pump Station – $1 million for construction of a new raw water pump station in the City of Manchester. Currently, the station is only working at 75% capacity and needs major repairs, which often impacts the community and its schools, hospital and Manchester FCI. The additional capacity provided by this project will help maintain the needs of existing customers and provide for growth opportunities to their industrial park.
12. Challenger Learning Center of Kentucky – $650,000 to provide a new, comprehensive STEM education program based in Hazard, Kentucky, in collaboration with community partners and K-12 schools throughout Eastern Kentucky. The program will motivate young people to learn while exposing them to exciting STEM careers in growing industries like health care, engineering, robotics and aerospace.
13. Martin County Water System Improvements – $5 million to help repair the aging and dilapidated water system in Martin County. The project includes the installation of nearly 50,000 linear feet of water distribution lines and replacement of 240 residential meters and services lines. Martin County Water District has a long history of water outages, with the entire water system having a water loss of 72%. This project will help alleviate extended outages and supply residents with clean, reliable drinking water.
14. Wayne County High School Repurpose – $4 million to rehabilitate the former Wayne County High School building and repurpose it for a community center. The facility would be used for a farmers market, as well as afterschool activities for children, a community event venue, and a recreational area that will connect to walking paths at the nearby park.
15. Louisa Water Treatment Plant – $2,750,000 for replacement of an aging wastewater treatment plant that is reaching its operational capacity. The new plant would be built on property adjacent to the current location, moving it out of the floodplain and into compliance with state regulations.