Better Schools
The School Facilities Construction Commission is forging ahead with the distribution of more than $200 million for the construction of schools and educational facility upgrades.
These projects could generate as many as 1,000 jobs.
- $127 million in Federal Funds are being allocated to local school district construction projects.
- $75 million in General Fund dollars will go to build or upgrade vocational school facilities.
Cleaner Water
Team Kentucky is investing in water or sewer-related projects statewide that will improve the quality of life for Kentuckians while boosting the Commonwealth's infrastructure. Administered by the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, $500 million has been appropriated for water and wastewater grants since 2021.
In 2022, $250 million was appropriated to be allocated to projects within a county based on county population.
This is in addition to the $250 million appropriated in 2021 for the following uses:
- $150 million
- Allocated to projects within a
county based on county population
- $50 million
- Available for customers in rural areas without clean drinking water services
- Available for utilities under federal consent decree to address stormwater and sanitary sewer system concerns (Lexington, Louisville, Northern KY Sanitation District No. 1, Winchester)
- $49.9 million
- $24.9 million to supplement a project grant where the project cost is greater than the county's allocation
- $25 million for bids higher than estimated project cost
There are 713 public drinking water and wastewater utilities in Kentucky. For those projects selected, all funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024.
It is estimated that delivering clean drinking water to Kentuckians will create at least 3,800 jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
A governmental agency with a Water Management Council approved project profile for a water or sewer-related project. Some examples of eligible governmental agencies are: city-owned water or sewer utility, water commission, water district, sewer district, sanitation district, or a water association.
Water or sewer-related projects.
There is not a specific limit on the grant amount per project.
The application process will be ongoing during the call for projects or until all funding is committed.
KIA will begin reviewing projects while the Call for Projects window is open. Grant awards will be made throughout the calendar year 2022.
Grant recipients will be able to request up to 90% of the total grant amount after all commitment letter conditions have been satisfied, the grant assistance agreement has been fully executed, and project expenses are incurred. The remaining 10% of the grant will be available after project closeout.
Better Internet
The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the need for all Kentucky citizens to have high-speed, reliable internet access to stay informed and connected to school, work, family, church, health care and other critical services. As more jobs transitioned to telework and classrooms moved to online learning, households across Kentucky increasingly relied on technology dependent on enhanced internet capacity to not only download data, but also to upload and share information, particularly when two or more platforms were simultaneously online.
Under
House Bill 320 and
House Bill 382, a bipartisan agreement enacted by the 2021 General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Beshear, Kentucky's Broadband Deployment Fund includes $300 million in state funds earmarked to address the connectivity needs of unserved and underserved communities across the commonwealth. Combined with at least 50% required matching federal investments, a minimum of $600 million will support the expansion of high-speed internet in Kentucky, creating more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. Coupled with the recent broadband speed test, access mapping and the KentuckyWired project, the commonwealth has the potential to move to the forefront of high-speed internet expansion nationwide.
To meet the most immediate need of those currently unserved populations across the state, the Kentucky Broadband Deployment Fund will prioritize the applications of projects that include areas without current access to high-speed internet or those providing 10 Mbps or less download speeds.
Also included in the 2022-2024 Biennial Budget is funding to establish an Office for Broadband Development, as authorized by
House Bill 315. This office will provide grants for broadband deployment, strategic direction and planning for high-speed internet accessibility, service, and growth on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and will serve as the liaison to federal agencies and programs regarding broadband issues.
Actions by the General Assembly changed the federal funding source from the 2021 Regular Session’s $300 million appropriation by shifting $182,769,000 for broadband deployment to the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund from the prior allocation from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Federal funds of $20 million from the American Rescue Plan will also be used to provide reimbursement for eligible pole replacement costs related to the deployment of high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved areas. These are defined as areas where high-speed internet service with a minimum 25 Mbps per second downstream and three megabits per second upstream is unavailable.
Stronger Communities
“Part of Governor Andy Beshear’s Better Kentucky Plan is to use the $6.5 billion allocated through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – also known as the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act – to build stronger communities in every corner of the commonwealth. These federal dollars offer unprecedented opportunities to communities, businesses and local governments to make improvements in areas of energy efficiency, forestry, renewable energy, waste management and water. It will let Kentucky make significant progress in reclaiming abandoned mine lands, redeveloping brownfields and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.”
—Energy & Environment Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman
Better Transportation
Governor Beshear is seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make transformational improvements in Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure. The Governor’s 2022-2028 Kentucky Highway Plan puts a priority on repairing and preserving pavement and bridges, meaning greater safety, efficiency, equitability and resilience for all users – drivers, cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians. The plan is based on anticipated state and federal revenues of $8.5 billion through 2028. The plan also positions Kentucky to compete for federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance projects that are critical to Kentucky’s continued economic growth but have long been delayed because of their cost. The BIL goes beyond highways and bridges with funding to modernize all other modes of transportation – air, rail, riverports and public transportation.
EV Charging Program
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the way of the future, and Kentucky is at the center of the revolution as the Beshear Administration is leading the charge to cement our stake as the EV battery production capital of the United States. BlueOval SK – a joint venture between Ford Motor Co. and SK On – in Glendale and AESC in Bowling Green are the biggest economic development announcements in Kentucky's history. These and other recent announcements in the EV industry total an electrifying $11.6 billion investment and are expected to create 10,100 jobs for Kentuckians.
We're not just leaders in battery production – we're also at the front of the pack to install fast charging stations every 50 miles on interstates and major highways.
Kentucky will receive $69.5 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to install EV charging stations. Currently, Kentucky has secured approximately $40 million, with the remaining $29.6 scheduled to become available over the next two years.
In accordance with federal requirements, Kentucky is first using these funds to expand the network of reliable Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) stations on the designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) to support local and long-distance EV travel. The AFC network includes all 11 interstates and eight parkways in the state.
In October 2023, the Governor announced the selection of 24 locations for these DCFC stations, with an investment of $15 million in federal funding. The private developers are funding at least 20% of the costs and will build, own, and operate the stations.
A second RFP was announced in February 2024, leading to the selection of an additional 14 locations in May 2024, to build out the nearly 1,500 miles of designated AFCs. The developers are eligible to receive up to $9.5 million in federal funding.
A third RFP is anticipated to be issued Sept. 19, 2024. Proposals will be due Oct. 21, 2024, with selection anticipated by the end of the year. Twelve additional designated zones statewide will continue the build-out of AFCs. Look for more RFP 3 information coming soon to
EVCharging.ky.gov.
Once the state's AFC system is certified as built out by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), remaining funding may be used to install charging stations on other priority corridors, in communities, and at other important destinations around the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, in coordination with the Energy and Environment Cabinet, the Public Service Commission, and the Federal Highway Administration, developed Kentucky's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan. The Plan was initially required to secure EV infrastructure funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The Plan was first approved by FHWA in 2022. Annual plan updates are required to secure additional yearly formula funding.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance directs state agencies to spend NEVI funds first on Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) to build out the charging network on those corridors before they can be spent elsewhere in the state. This requires building stations that meet the federal requirements every 50 miles along these corridors. Approximately 1,500 miles of Kentucky’s highways are on AFCs. Once that network is certified by FHWA as built-out the remaining NEVI funds may be spent on other priority highways, in communities, and at other important destinations around the state, pending further guidance from FHWA.
As of August 2024, Kentucky had selected 38 locations for federally funded DCFC stations on the AFC network across the state. These sites are shown on the map below. A third RFP is expected Sept. 19 with 12 additional designated zones. Look for more RFP 3 information coming soon to
EVCharging.ky.gov.
Kentucky is working with the selected site developers to advance the charging station projects as quickly as possible. However, national supply chain issues related to required major electrical equipment (such as transformers) are making expedited construction difficult. The first of the new fast charging stations is in Richmond and opened to the public in August 2024.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) recognizes the important role it plays in everyone’s lives, affecting the economy, access to jobs, resiliency, and sustainability. The IIJA addresses the needed improvements to critical infrastructure, such as bridges and roads, internet access, public transit investments, lead pipes, and upgrades to power, in addition to the development of Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) stations. Creating an EV infrastructure network framework is vital to the Kentucky economy and transportation.
Kentucky is also introducing new jobs through EV battery factories, which will benefit taxpayers. Additionally, the long-term cost of owning and maintaining an EV is less than internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles, particularly in terms of gas mileage and routine maintenance costs. The number of EV owners in Kentucky is on the rise, and this charging infrastructure will provide them with the ability to travel anywhere in the Commonwealth with confidence that they can recharge when needed and get back home.
The stations will be constructed, owned, operated, and maintained by private companies. The state will not own or operate any of the stations.
Each state’s infrastructure deployment plan must include strategies to serve rural and underserved communities. Kentucky is engaging with stakeholder working groups and advisory committees to find partnerships with agencies and organizations to work toward serving all communities and making the future EV landscape inclusive of all Kentuckians.
The
Justice40 Initiative provides the opportunity to identify and prioritize projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. It is one of several criteria used to determine the location of DCFC stations along the AFCs.
In summer 2024, the EV Charging Program created a Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) Working Group to help understand priorities in communities statewide. Representatives of local, regional, and statewide groups include community foundations, service agencies, Urban Leagues, NAACP chapters, Clean Cities Coalitions, ride-share groups, and more.
DAC Working Group members discuss issues with the potential to impact low-income, monority, or rural populations and identify concerns in two-way communication with the team.
Click here to review the presentation shared with members this summer.
KYTC has coordinated extensively with the utility companies in the state. Conversations indicate that the current electric grid can support the approximately 38 DCFC stations proposed to be installed using NEVI funding, and additional designated zones as part of RFP 3, to build out the Alternative Fuel Corridors in Kentucky. These stations would be located along Kentucky’s 11 interstates and eight parkways.
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