Lawrence County, Kentucky

On the business front, a massive former coal plant north of Louisa is now being touted as a prime location for an industrial park. Vince Doty, Deputy Judge of Lawrence County, explains, “The site includes a dedicated rail line access, which is unusual in the area and a great benefit to companies interested in locating there. The County is looking to expand that site and is hoping it will be fully remediated and ready by the end of 2020 for future development. And our County has plenty of natural energy for any type of business, especially when it comes to natural gas.” Attracting new business is a coordinated effort. One of those alliances is with One East Kentucky, an economic development entity that sponsors nine counties, including Lawrence County. And they’ve been very successful in landing new businesses. SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region) is another partner, along with One East Kentucky, that’s looking at the region to find economic opportunities for the region that was hit hard by the downturn of the coal industry. “Currently, we’re serviced by a couple of local providers for fiber,” says Jobe. “And the State of Kentucky is working on Kentucky Wired – that’s an ongoing project to improve connectivity. Our biggest challenge in Lawrence County is to find one or two big new companies. Everyone is competing.” Meantime, tourism remains a key focus propelled through the efforts of Louisa-Lawrence County Tourism. The crown jewel is Yatesville Lake. Opened in 1992, it is a 2,300-acre reservoir managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The lake provides flood control for the region as well as recreational opportunities, and the Corps manages a boat ramp at the Rich Creek area. As Doty notes, “Yatesville Lake is a beautiful asset and the County maintains and manages Lawrence County Wilderness Park there. It’s 80-plus acres of lake, cabins, RV sites, camping, a General Store. Everything is available for rent and it brings in around 40,000 visitors a year. Kayaking is really popular and people like our