Speak Out Against this $505 Million Dollar Prison!

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) is one step closer to building a massive $505 million federal prison in Eastern Kentucky, but we have one last shot to shut this down. We need your voice now more than ever to end the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Letcher in its tracks.

Following the initial Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) — a report that explains how a project might affect the environment, including plants, animals, and people — the public now has until April 15 to submit comments on the project.

By law, the FBOP must address and consider every single statement to complete the final impact statement.

We need you, your family, friends, and neighbors — everyone — to speak out against the horrors of this proposed new mega-prison that will:

Cost the American people more than $505 million in taxpayer funds.
Incentivize the jailing of even more people — the majority of which will be Black and Brown people.
Require the destruction of 202 acres of nature — including 200 acres of pristine forest and 2 acres of ecologically vital wetlands.
This new facility is a financial, environmental, and societal disaster and we cannot let plans carry on unchallenged.

This may be the last time to speak out against this disastrous project, so let’s make our opposition clear and loud! Submit your comment BEFORE April 15.

Submit before the April 15th deadline

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To: Federal Bureau of Prisons

Re: Draft Environmental Impact Statement - Proposed Development of a New Federal Correctional Institution & Federal Prison Camp - Letcher County, Kentucky

There is an overwhelming amount of negative impacts and injustices that the project will have on the community:

Perpetuation of Over-Incarceration: Kentucky already incarcerates at a rate 40% higher than the national average, and building another federal prison only deepens the state's reliance on a flawed correctional system that disproportionately affects marginalized communities.

Economic Sustainability Doubts: The $505 million earmarked for the prison seems a misplaced investment, offering little to no real benefit to the local economy but instead burdening taxpayers with the cost of the $500 million project.

Environmental Concerns: The environmental implications are dire. The proposed site is on a former coal mine, a location already suffering from the legacy of pollution and chemical exposure. This project threatens to exacerbate the area's environmental degradation, posing health risks to inmates, staff, and the construction workforce through exposure to toxic substances left by coal extraction.

The Strain on Local Infrastructure and Community: The construction and operation of this facility will demand significant upgrades to local infrastructure, likely leading to increased taxes and diverted funds from essential services.