Bluegrass Station Runway Project Loses Crucial Backing Following Local Outcry

In Fayette County, Kentucky, significant backers of a proposed airport expansion at the state-owned industrial park, Bluegrass Station, have shifted their support in response to intense local opposition. The latest to withdraw support was Senator Steve West, representing Bourbon County. This move comes after Gov. Andy Beshear declared his withdrawal of support last week.

An Abandoned Proposal

Senator West, a Republican, criticized the Democratic governor for failing to spearhead the project. He pointed out that the governor’s administration had not offered opportunities for public participation or had provided information on the proposed expenditure of funds. The Republican-majority Kentucky House of Representatives had earlier passed a state budget that allocated hundreds of millions of dollars towards building a general aviation airport with a 7,800-foot runway extending into Bourbon County. While Gov. Andy Beshear also supported the airport, his proposal allocated $55 million for land acquisition.

However, in the face of opposition from landowners in Bourbon County, the governor, Senator West, and Bluegrass Station’s director all rescinded their support. The landowners, concerned that eminent domain would claim their prime farmland and dismantle their family farms, put up a staunch resistance against the project.

Contrasting Statements and Apologies

In a statement shared on social media on February 22, Gov. Beshear stated that he “never supported” proceeding with the airport expansion if it lacked local backing. He cited that the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs had proposed the project.

The following day, Bluegrass Station director Steve Collins, a previous supporter of the project, announced on the airport project’s website that the project was “closed”. He tendered his apology to elected officials and community members who experienced “unmentionable attacks” which he acknowledged should have been directed at him.

A Significant Blow to Economic Development

A 2022 feasibility report by the legislature had indicated that eminent domain could be used for the project. The report also highlighted the substantial economic impact of the project—it could generate between 3,000 to 6,000 new permanent jobs, annual tax revenues of $12 million to $20 million, and attract over $1.2 billion in private investment.

Senator West, a resident of Bourbon County, had previously supported the project. He described it as an economic development “game changer.” Nevertheless, he has now made a complete turnaround and voiced his opposition to the project.

Accusations and Clarifications

Sen. West, in an interview, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Beshear administration’s lack of communication and information regarding the project funding and use of eminent domain. On the other hand, Gov. Beshear’s spokesperson, Crystal Staley, asserted that the governor had always been clear that the project would not proceed without community support.

The Role of Local Activism

Ike VanMeter, a Bourbon landowner and a cattle farmer, credited the change in the attitudes of elected officials to community organizing and activism against the project. A town hall meeting about the project had been organized as part of this activism. The Bourbon County Fiscal Court passed a resolution opposing the airport expansion, bolstering the opposition.

Going forward, the major aim for concerned residents is to ensure that funding for the airport project is excluded from any state budget that passes in the legislature.