On Friday, March 30, 2018, U.S. Representative Hal Rogers announced the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons has signed a Record of Decision regarding the construction of a high security prison in Letcher County. The ROD is a public document, the final step in the National Environment Policy Act process, and it officially signals the agency’s intent to move forward with the project. The Bureau of Prisons selected a 700-acre site on reclaimed mine land in Roxana for the facility. Representative Rogers said the project will be a long-term economic shot in the arm for Eastern Kentucky, as well as provide much needed relief for the federal prison system. The BOP will next begin the process of acquiring the land that will comprise the site of the new prison, which is expected to take roughly 12 months, as well as work with local officials on infrastructure improvements to support the new prison.