ROXANA, Ky. — The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has given the go-ahead for a new federal prison to be constructed in Letcher County.
BOP Director Collette Peters published her agency’s decision to move forward with the purchase of 500 acres at Roxana for the purpose of building a $500 million medium-security prison and minimum-security prison camp, holding more than 1,400 prisoners, combined.
“I’m thrilled that the many years of hard work by local leaders in Letcher County have paid off,” U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers said, in announcing the decision. “They have improved broadband and strengthened local infrastructure, in effort to show the BOP that they were committed to supporting a new prison and the hundreds of jobs it will bring to the region. Director Peters said the BOP is going to build a new modern, state-of-the-art facility in Letcher County that focuses on safety and wellness.”
The Bureau initially considered four sites in Letcher County, but two were eliminated early on. That left the Roxana site and another at Payne Gap, but the Payne Gap site would have required more extensive site preparation.
“We have worked for nearly 20 years to bring these much-needed jobs to Letcher County,” said Elwood Cornett, cofounder of the Letcher County Planning Commission. “Regardless of the decision, our county has benefitted from all the improvements that have been made to prepare for this prison. I can’t thank Congressman Rogers enough for believing in us and being our champion along the way.”
The Bureau estimates it will take a year for design work and property acquisitions before construction can begin.
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