Senator McConnell announces funding for important Kentucky infrastructure projects

Published 11:58 am Thursday, January 20, 2022

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will fund several vital Kentucky infrastructure projects in its Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan.

In total, Senator McConnell helped secure nearly $689 million for these Kentucky projects this year through his support for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Act. The Senate passed both bills into law last year.

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“I supported last year’s landmark bipartisan infrastructure legislation because I understand the importance of addressing the Commonwealth’s need for adequate infrastructure resources. With the new projects announced today, Kentuckians will have access to the cleaner water, enhanced transport systems, better flood control, and more pristine natural spaces they deserve,” Senator McConnell said.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funded the following Kentucky projects:
• $465.5 million to complete the Kentucky Lock and Dam in Western Kentucky, eliminating the current delays that hinder the $5 billion worth of commerce that flows through the lock annually.
• $7.040 million for Barkley Dam and Lake Barkley in Western Kentucky to replace a storm-damaged powerhouse generator roof system, replace facilities at Linton Recreational Area, rehabilitate spillway gates, and pave Coleman Bridge, Calhoun Hill, and Hurricane Creek.
• $5.450 million for Wolf Creek Dam at Lake Cumberland to replace the structure’s protective coating and concrete deck.
• $2.150 million for the Cumberland River Basin in Middlesboro to repair storm damage.
• $2.113 million for Fishtrap Lake in Pike County to enhance flood protection measures, improve water treatment, and prepare a historic property management plan.
• $2 million to the Section 531 environmental infrastructure program covering Southern and Eastern Kentucky.
• $1.1 million for Carr Creek Lake in Knott County to raise the height of the sediment dam and improve water treatment capabilities.
• $215,000 for Nolin Lake in Edmonson to pave the Moutardier campground, treat and contain invasive species, and restore shoreline.
• $170,000 for Yatesville Lake in Lawrence County to improve the lake’s Environmental Interpretive Trail.
• $84,000 for Rough River Lake in Falls of Rough for shoreline restoration.
• $60,000 for Cave Run Lake, located south of Morehead, for the removal of an underground fuel storage tank.
The Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Act funded the following Kentucky projects:
• $965,000 for Barkley Dam and Lake Barkley in Western Kentucky to dredge navigation channels, replant native trees, and assist with tornado recovery.
• $202 million for Wolf Creek Dam at Lake Cumberland to replace ten tainter gates damaged in a 2019 storm.