BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WASHINGTON — Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) announced last week that the federal “Omnibus” appropriations package for the remainder of 2022 contains $10 million for projects in Eastern Kentucky, including $1.5 million to help the Martin County Water District.

The $1.5 million for Martin County will be awarded to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District to “repair failing water transmission lines and extend new water lines to more than 40 homes currently using contaminated well water.”

Martin County Water Board chairperson Jimmy Don Kerr said the money would be used for water line and meter upgrades in the Warfield, Beauty and Lovely area.

Congressman Rogers initially secured $1.2 million for the project in 2017. However, the funding wasn’t enough, so the project was put on hold, and the money was used for other upgrades.

The bid for the delayed project came in at $1.7 million.

Kerr said the Martin County Fiscal Court would use ARPA funds to pay the remaining cost.

“We are excited about this project,” Kerr said. “The original line project that we completed has helped a great over in that area with water loss, line breaks and consistency. This project is just a continuation of that and another step in our progress to improve our water system.”

Other counties included in the $10 million are Clay, Lee, Leslie, Johnson, Magoffin, Rowan and Pike. A Rogers news release stated additional counties would be served by funding to prevent substance abuse in the region through Operation UNITE and a septic system program through Eastern Kentucky PRIDE.

“I am thrilled to bring this good news to the people of southern and eastern Kentucky. Our rural communities desperately need federal support to help protect flood-ravaged cities, like Beattyville, and to help address the water crises in Martin and Leslie counties, among other needs,” said Congressman Rogers, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee.

“It is no secret that I believe in the value of earmarks in rural America, as federal funding is often diverted to more populated urban areas. These important projects may have been stalled for many years without this money being set aside for our small communities. I applaud all of our local leaders who diligently worked on plans for these worthy projects, and I was honored to advocate for each one.”

Pikeville Medical Center will receive $665,202 to construct and equip a sensory stimulation area for the new Appalachian Valley Autism Center, aimed at helping children with autism. Congressman Rogers previously helped secure funding for construction of the AVA Center. Approximately 300 children are currently on the waiting list for treatment at the new facility.

Johnson County First Responder Communications Project will get $859,000 to upgrade the Johnson County public safety/first responder communications system to a high-performance digital network to improve response times.

The City of Salyersville Restaurant Row Enhancement Project will get $1.29 million to create a gateway corridor along the newly expanded Mountain Parkway that includes wayfinding kiosks, gateway signage, landscaping improvements and visual information features. The enhancement project is part of the long-term recovery plan to rebuild Salyersville’s thriving restaurant district that was destroyed in the March 2012 tornado outbreak.

The Hyden-Leslie Water District will receive $1.39 million to provide reliable, safe water for more than 100 distressed and poverty-stricken households.

Downtown Manchester Market Place will get $2.2 million to construct a marketplace facility on city-owned land that provides the community and visitors with space to engage in activities centered around education, music, culture and the arts.

Eastern Kentucky PRIDE Septic System Grant Program will get $800,000 to implement a grant program to provide septic systems to households in Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District under the 55 percent Housing and Urban Development poverty guideline. Over the last 25 years, PRIDE has provided nearly 7,400 septic systems across southern and eastern Kentucky.

Beattyville Flood Wall Study will receive $450,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Louisville District to investigate solutions to prevent future devastating floods in Beattyville. Downtown Beattyville suffered another historic damaging flood in March 2021.

Morehead Fire Department Station will get $300,000 to help build a new fire station in Morehead, Kentucky. The current fire station is a retrofitted 50-year-old car wash located at the busiest intersection in Morehead. The new modernized fire station will be relocated, contributing to faster response times.

Operation UNITE Substance Abuse Prevention will receive $500,000 to enhance and expand opioid abuse prevention efforts through school-based UNITE Clubs and grassroots coalitions. Congressman Rogers launched Operation UNITE in 2003 to address the opioid epidemic in southern and eastern Kentucky through a holistic approach, including law enforcement, treatment and education. UNITE provides educational prevention programs to more than 50,000 students in Kentucky’s Appalachian region every year.