WASHINGTON, DC — The Appalachian Reg-ional Commission (ARC) approved a $1.5 million grant to the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority for water and sewer system extensions that will serve Mingo South High School and additional development sites along the King Coal Highway, Senator Robert C. Byrd announced.

Mingo County is developing a new high school on a site on the new King Coal Highway, which currently does not have access to water and sewer services.  Extending the water and sewer service from Matew-an will provide for initial service to the new high school. 

The infrastructure will also enable development of approximately 450 acres in the vicinity, Byrd said.  In future phases of development, according to the ARC, utilities would be extended along the highway to support additional job creation and economic investment. 

The Mingo County Re-development Authority (MCRDA), through the use of these funds from the ARC, will extend water and sewer lines from the existing Matewan water and sewer systems to the high school site.  Components will in-clude about two miles of water line and a 200,000-gallon water storage tank, and nearly 2.5 miles of sewer line.  The Town of Matewan will own and operate the facilities.

“This ARC funding to Mingo County is great news and shows that we moving forward with economic development opportunities that will be associated with the construction and completion of the King Coal Highway,” said Byrd. 

This $1.5 million ARC award, along with $6.2 million in previous federal funding, will extend utilities to approximately seven miles of the King Coal Highway from Mary Taylor Mountain to Horsepen Mountain.

“Because of Senator Byrd’s commitment to jobs, education, and diversification, this will be the first time in the history of Mingo County that we have a highway, development sites out of the flood plain, and utilities which will give Mingo County an opportunity to start marketing for new businesses, new housing developments and new educational facilities to help diversify and sustain our economy for the fut-ure.” MCRDA Executive Director Mike Whitt said.

In addition to the federal funding from the Appala-chian Regional Commis-sion, the Governor’s Com-munity Participation Grant Program is providing $50,000, and an additional $400,000 is being provided by one of the private contractors involved in the construction of the King Coal Highway for a total project cost of $1.95 million.