Officials: New $444M federal prison coming to Letcher County

WHITESBURG, Ky. (AP) – Officials say a new federal prison is coming to Letcher County.

Local media outlets report U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch confirmed on Wednesday funding to build the prison.

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers’ office says in a statement that the Bureau of Prisons plans to use $444 million in federal money to construct the prison on a 700-acre site in Roxana. The location was chosen after an environmental study.

Rogers says the prison could create hundreds of jobs as the region struggles to rebound from the loss of more than 10,000 coal mining jobs over the last eight years.

Officials say the prison could create about 300 full-time jobs.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.