The mayor of Hazard is optimistic federal grant funds will pave the way for construction of a natural gas pipeline to an existing Perry County industrial park.
Mayor Jimmy Lindon just got word of preliminary approval for $900,000 through the Abandoned Mine Lands Program. “It’s not going to be just Hazard, Perry County. It’s going to be a regional thing. We’re going to be close to the Knott County and Breathitt County and Leslie County. So, it’s going to involve our region,” said Lindon.
Lindon says the regional industrial site missed out on an auto parts company and about 150 jobs because there wasn’t natural gas available in the manufacturing park. The entire project is expected to cost close to $3 million dollars. If all goes well, Lindon believes the six mile pipeline could be fully operating in about two years.
