More than 500 acres of public access added to wildlife area

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says more than 500 acres of public access have been added to the Rockcastle River Wildlife Management Area.

The agency said last week in a statement that access in Pulaski County was added following an environmental remediation project that plugged 18 orphaned gas wells.

Two portions of the property had been off-limits to public use since 2017 because of safety concerns associated with the wells.

Staff from the Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with personnel from the state Energy and Environment Cabinet to plug them and now the entire 2,924-acre area is open.