Funds expand access to affordable energy and support revitalization in Estill County

FRANKFORT, KY - On October 2, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear joined officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to announce $67 million in federal grants that support economic growth and job creation by helping families access affordable energy and by redeveloping a former rail yard in the city of Irvine into an entertainment and business district.

“Kentucky is seeing record-breaking economic growth. Today, we are once again making good on our promises to ensure prosperity reaches every corner of the commonwealth and to help our families in the east and west rebuild after natural disasters,” Gov. Beshear said. “We are grateful for these federal funds that will help provide more families with reliable and affordable energy and that will also create good-paying jobs.”

Solar for All Program Grant
The $62.4 million Solar for All program grant will help Kentucky deliver affordable solar energy to eligible households while creating new jobs in the renewable energy sector. 

The Governor said the state is expecting to see 41 apprenticeship scholarships and more than 500 training and certification scholarships.

“That means these projects will be done by Kentuckians for Kentuckians,” Gov. Beshear said.

The program will help families in Eastern and Western Kentucky in disaster recovery housing, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program customers and recently weatherized households in high energy regions.

Gov. Beshear thanked partners like the Kentucky Housing Corporation, Habitat for Humanity and others that will help the state add solar generation with energy storage to post-disaster housing, ensuring that the houses are energy efficient and energy secure.

“EPA is proud to work with Kentucky by providing over $62 million to expand access to solar through financial assistance models and workforce development programming,” said Acting Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. “Through this program, we are reducing climate and air pollution; delivering benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities and mobilizing financing to spur additional deployment of affordable solar energy.”

Kentucky’s Solar for All program timeline spans five years and the program’s plans are pending final EPA approval. In the meantime, the state is seeking input about the program from families, communities and key stakeholders.

Kentucky is one of 60 recipients across the country to earn a portion of the $7 billion being awarded by the EPA under its Solar for All competition to deliver residential solar projects to over 900,000 households nationwide. It is funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

“We are grateful to receive this award from the EPA,” said Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman. “The funds represent an opportunity to change the lives of many Kentuckians. The program will help overcome challenges to lowering the energy burden, strengthening the resilience of local communities and vulnerable households, and increasing trade skills in clean energy. This is a significant step forward in Team Kentucky’s Better Kentucky Plan.” 

“One of the goals of this plan is to invest a portion of funds into local workforce development programs,” said Kenya Stump, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy. “This important component supports the successful deployment of the program, improves the number of available qualified technicians and installers and creates new job opportunities.

Brownfields Cleanup Grant: Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation
Gov. Beshear also announced that the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. has been selected as the recipient of a $5 million EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant for its?railroad themed “The Yard” development.

Gov. Beshear noted that this grant is the largest ever of its kind in Kentucky and that it is expected to bring 15-30 new jobs to Estill County.

The grant funds, provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be used to clean up the former CSX Ravenna Rail Yard located at 503 Kirkland Avenue in the city of Irvine. The nearly 27-acre site operated as a railyard for over 100 years. The rail yard cleanup project will create a community greenspace,?featuring a music pavilion, a campground, jogging trails, a museum and a renovated repair shop where historic steam engines are restored. Funds also will be used to prepare a Community Involvement Plan and conduct community engagement activities.

Gov. Beshear said, “I’m so proud of those spearheading this project to preserve a 20th century rail yard and create a one-of-a-kind venue that will attract thousands of visitors and support the area’s economy.”

Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. President Chris Campbell said, “Kentucky Steam is thrilled to be a recipient of an EPA Brownfields award for our ‘The Yard’ development, setting the stage for a bright future for Appalachian Kentucky, encouraging tourism while inspiring similarly spirited projects. We cannot thank the EPA and Gov. Beshear enough for their continued support in our and other important Appalachian projects.”

In April of 2020, Kentucky Steam secured a $120,000 loan from the Kentucky Brownfield Program’s Revolving Loan Fund, named the Cleaner Commonwealth fund. Funds were allocated for site work for the concert venue lawn and community space. In 2021, Kentucky Steam also received an EPA Cleanup grant in the amount of $500,000.

The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002, as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018, was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of pollutants or contaminants. 

Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, Cleanup Grants and Job Training Grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. 

Since 2007, Kentucky communities have received $34.5 million in EPA brownfields funding. Just under $17 million of that has been awarded since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed in November of 2021. Notable projects include a $2 million cleanup grant for the remediation of the former Hayswood Hospital in Maysville, a $1 million cleanup grant for the remediation of the former Palm Beach factory in Somerset and an additional $1 million in supplemental awards to both the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection and Louisville-Metro Jefferson County Government’s brownfield revolving loan funds.

To learn more about Kentucky’s KYE3 energy strategy, click here.