The First District of Kentucky stretches from the Mississippi River across more than 34 counties bounded by the Ohio River on the north, the Tennessee border to the south, and the Appalachian foothills on its eastern edge.

The District is home to the Army's Fort Campbell which houses the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division, the 5th Special Forces Group and the 160th Special Operations Air Regiment. In addition, the First District includes the only Uranium enrichment facility left in the United States, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

If you would like to learn more about Kentucky's First Congressional District, please contact one of Congressman Whitfield's offices. Below are the Counties that comprise the First District:

Click on a region to read about Congressman Whitfield’s work in your community.

GREEN RIVER AREA - Henderson, Union, Webster, McLean and Ohio Counties

ENERGY

Recognizing the important need to utilize Kentucky’s vast coal reserves while creating new jobs, Congressman Whitfield has worked to bring a proposed major commercial scale coal-to-gas facility to the Green River region. This new facility will not only play a significant role in the nation’s energy portfolio, but it will have a huge impact on the local economy. The construction of the plant is expected to create 1,200 jobs and have a potential one-time direct economic impact of approximately $229.1 million. An estimated 175 direct jobs would be created upon completion of the project, with an additional 375 jobs to be realized related to coal mining operations in the production of coal feedstock. Congressman Whitfield has worked to get investment tax credits passed through Congress and signed into law which would allow this technology to get on its feet.

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS

Congressman Whitfield is currently working to alleviate flooding of Canoe Creek in Henderson, working with the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct studies and move this project forward. He has also worked to promote the expansion of the Henderson Airport and secure funding for the site. As a result, $3.5 million has been allocated to the Henderson Airport through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

In addition, $500,000 in federal funds has gone to the Hartford Airport in Ohio County and $400,000 has gone to the Sturgis Municipal Airport in Union County under the AIP. Congressman Whitfield recognizes the importance of regional airports as not only a means of transportation for local residents, but also as an important part of bringing business and tourism to Kentucky communities. For this reason, he has worked hard to improve and expand airports in the Green River Area.

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Pennyrile Area - Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Todd, Christian, Trigg, Lyon, Caldwell, Crittenden and Livingston Counties

ENERGY

To create new jobs in the Pennyrile Area, produce electricity and utilize Kentucky coal, Congressman Whitfield has worked to bring the Peabody Energy Thoroughbred Energy Campus to Muhlenberg County, a proposed 1,500-megawatt coal-fueled electricity generation project. Once built, the Thoroughbred plant will be one of the cleanest coal plants in the country and provide power to citizens throughout the First District. It will also utilize coal from local mines, thereby using local resources and supporting the local mining industry. This $2.5 billion project is expected to bring over $100 million in annual economic benefits to Kentucky. Peabody predicts the plant will create 450 highly paid permanent jobs as well as 1500 construction jobs.

In addition, Congressman Whitfield has supported the Commonwealth Agri-Energy Ethanol Plant in Hopkinsville. Congressman Whitfield helped secure a $1 million grant through the Delta Regional Authority to help move this important project forward.

INTERIOR

Congressman Whitfield helped create the 170,000 acre National Recreation Area at the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) and has secured nearly $80 million to ensure the continued operation and maintenance of the site. In 1998, he introduced the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act to transfer the management of LBL to the U.S. Forest Service. The provisions of the Act were included in the FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and included $7 million requested by Congressman Whitfield to facilitate the transfer. By taking this action, the Congressman protected both the short and long-term security of LBL while guaranteeing the continuation of its missions in the areas of conservation, recreation and environmental education. In addition, Lyon and Trigg counties, which comprise LBL, have received tremendous increases in their payment-in-lieu of tax benefits because LBL was transferred to the Forest Service. These monies help finance roads, schools, and infrastructure improvements needed to sustain growth and economic development.  Each year, Congressman Whitfield has fought for at least $8 million for funding to maintain and update the recreational area. 

Defense

Congressman Whitfield has been a tireless advocate for Fort Campbell since he first entered Congress. He helped secure more than $840 million for military construction and family housing projects at Fort Campbell. Facilities built as a result of these funds include barracks, family housing, a new physical fitness center, a consolidated education center and dental and healthcare facilities. The funding Congressman Whitfield helped secure includes more than $131 million in additional funding above the Administrations’ annual budget requests for military construction.

The Congressman has supported initiatives to improve the military readiness of the 101st Airborne, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the 5th Group Special Forces Group stationed at Fort Campbell. To solidify the long-term future of Fort Campbell, Congressman Whitfield has supported critical military construction investments including rail spur construction to enhance rapid deployment capabilities; improvements to the SABRE Army Heliport; construction of the Military Operations Urban Terrain Training Center; new vehicle maintenance shops; a new combat mission flight simulator and a new airfield support facility, among other projects.

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS

Congressman Whitfield has been instrumental in the construction of Kentucky Lock and Dam. At Congressman Whitfield’s request, Congress authorized the project in the Water Resources Development Act of 1998 and the Congressman has fought every year for full funding to ensure a timely completion of Kentucky Lock and Dam. It is expected that Kentucky Lock and Dam will have an average annual economic benefit of $70.7 million when completed. The project is expected to be finished by 2013 at a total cost of $642 million.

In addition, Congressman Whitfield has worked to extend the Pennyrile Parkway to I-24 by securing funds and authorization for the project. The estimated total cost of the project is $115 million and $47 million of that total has already been authorized.

In 2003, Congressman Whitfield was able to transfer the abandoned rail spur at Fort Campbell to the city of Hopkinsville.
 
Recognizing the importance of regional airports as both a means of transportation for local residents and an important part of bringing business and tourism to Kentucky communities, Congressman Whitfield has worked to bring critical funds to airports throughout the Pennyrile area and aid their expansions and improvements. The Madisonville Municipal Airport has received $5 million in federal funds through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and in 2002 Congressman Whitfield secured priority consideration funding for the runway extension. Additional airports in the Pennyrile area that have received federal funds through the AIP are the:

           
Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport - $5.3 million
Muhlenberg County Airport - $500,000
Marion-Crittenden County Airport - $4 million
Princeton-Caldwell County Airport - $1.7 million

Congressman Whitfield also secured priority consideration for the Princeton-Caldwell County Airport runway extension.

Lake Cumberland

Congressman Whitfield has worked hard to find a consensus on when summer water levels will be reduced to winter pool levels at Lake Barkley. Recreation at Lake Barkley generates millions of dollars of economic activity throughout the year, but the worsening problem of lower lake levels has seriously impacted business in the region. Congressman Whitfield has been a leader on this issue, drafting legislation, meeting with affected parties and the Army Corps of Engineers and hosting a stakeholder meeting to try and reach a consensus. 

HEALTH

Working to provide access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Kentuckians, Congressman Whitfield helped establish the Community Health Center of Western Kentucky in Muhlenberg County. Whitfield has been a tireless champion for community health centers both in Kentucky and throughout the country, focusing on ways to maximize the effectiveness of federal grant dollars used for community health services as well as ways to better incorporate health centers into America’s medical network. Whitfield has also worked to secure federal dollars on numerous occasions to fund the three community health centers located in the First District.

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PURCHASE AREA- McCracken, Marshall, Calloway, Graves, Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman, and Fulton Counties

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS

Congressman Whitfield has helped secure over $6.2 million for essential dredging at Hickman Harbor. In late 2007, the Congressman was able to convince the Army Corps of Engineers to keep the dredge at the harbor for an additional 56 hours of drilling to complete critical work before moving downstream. In addition, Congressman Whitfield has continued to work with farmers in Fulton County to resolve Reelfoot Lake flooding issues.

Olmstead Lock and Dam is also being expanded to facilitate larger barges and reduce costly delays. This project was authorized as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1988 and Congressman Whitfield has supported full funding for this project each year he has been in Congress. The total cost of this project is $1.4 billion and the average annual navigation benefits for this project are $743 million.

Congressman Whitfield has worked to bring critical funds to airports throughout the Purchase area and aid their expansions and advancements to not only improve transportation for local residents, but also to enhance business and tourism in western Kentucky. The Barkley Regional Airport has received over $16.9 million in federal funds through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Congressman Whitfield secured priority consideration for a new taxiway at the airport. Additional airports in the Purchase area that have received federal funds through the AIP are the:

Kentucky Dam State Park Airport in Marshall County – over $300,000
Mayfield-Graves County Airport – over $200,000
Kyle Oakley Field Airport in Calloway County – over $3 million

ENERGY: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT

Congressman Whitfield has been a tireless advocate for the workers at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) and has worked to protect the domestic uranium enrichment industry and the short and long-term future of the Plant. In every appropriations cycle, the Congressman has testified, submitted testimony, wrote letters, and/or met with appropriations staff and the Subcommittee Chairman of the Energy & Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee in support of increased clean-up funds for Paducah; increased funding for the medical monitoring/lung screening program for Paducah workers; and increased funding for the Department of Energy’s office of Worker & Community Transition Assistance which finances severance and benefits packages as well as the community reuse organizations to mitigate job losses resulting from Department of Energy (DOE) plant downsizings or closures.

In 1996, Congressman Whitfield authored two amendments, which became law, as part of the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) Privatization legislation. The measure protects workers’ pensions and existing collective bargaining agreements and gives the Secretary of Energy the power to reject low purchase bids during the privatization process.

Congressman Whitfield introduced legislation which became law on July 21, 1998, to require DOE to submit a plan for the construction of the two depleted uranium hexafluoride plants – one in Paducah and one in Portsmouth – and to insure that the $385 million collected for cleanup of the material be set aside to help cover the construction costs of the plants.

Working with Senator Mitch McConnell in 2002, Congressman Whitfield insured inclusion of a provision in the FY 2002 Supplemental Appropriations bill to require construction of two DUF6 plants – one at Paducah and one at Portsmouth. The appropriations bill was signed into law, and the contract to build the two plants (200 workers at each plant) was awarded on August 28, 2002.

In January of 2006, Congressman Whitfield held a field hearing in Paducah in which one of the primary topics was the enforcement of pension provisions included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by the Department of Energy. The Congressman was instrumental in DOE’s decision to finally implement this provision, which allows pension portability for workers moving from production work at the plant to the clean-up side. Prior to Congressman Whitfield’s efforts on behalf of the workers, the Department refused to implement this provision of the Energy Policy Act as intended by Congress. This provision was strongly supported by the local union and associated contractors.

In 2008, Congressman Whitfield introduced legislation and secured a hearing on reprocessing the 60,000 cylinders of uranium tails that are being stored at the Paducah and Portsmouth sites. It is estimated that these tails have more than $7 billion of useable uranium that could be sold for replenishing the Decontamination and Decommissioning fund to provide environmental cleanup money for Paducah. 

Workers Compensation Program

The Congressman also introduced legislation, a large portion of which became law in 2000, to establish the first-ever federal compensation program for DOE workers who contracted certain illnesses as a result of exposure to radiation, silica, beryllium or other toxic substances while working in the DOE complex. The program, which includes special provisions for workers at Paducah, pays $150,000 plus medical benefits to eligible workers or their survivors.

To address a shortfall in the DOE worker compensation program, Congressman Whitfield ensured the passage of corrective legislation in the FY 2005 Defense Authorization bill. The shortfall arises when it is determined that a person would be eligible for state workers compensation benefits, yet there is no “willing payor” to pay the benefit.  The legislation would insure payment under the existing entitlement, remove the states from the process, require the Labor Department to administer the program and base benefit levels on existing formulas.

To date, the Compensation Programs have paid out $317,815,658 in compensation to 3,139 employees and their survivors.

INTERIOR

In 2004, Congressman Whitfield introduced legislation, which became law, to revise the boundary of the Fort Donelson/Fort Heiman Civil War Battlefield. The battlefield now includes the site of Fort Heiman and associated land in Calloway County and the Fort Donelson National Cemetery in Stewart County, Tennessee. The legislation also called for the National Park Service to take over administration of the battlefield.

CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Congressman Whitfield also secured authorization from the Army Corp of Engineers to begin renovations on the Paducah floodwall in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007.  He has also worked with the City to make sure that they are able to receive local share credit prior to a feasibility study completion.

 
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EASTERN COUNTIES- Logan, Butler, Simpson, Allen, Monroe, Metcalfe, Cumberland, Adair, Russell, Clinton, Lincoln, and Casey Counties

TRANSPORTATION

In 1998, Congressman Whitfield successfully inserted language in the transportation reauthorization bill to make U.S. Highway 231 in Butler County eligible for federal money through the National Highway System.

Working with Congressman Lewis in the Second Congressional District, Congressman Whitfield has also supported developing and maintaining the Heartland Parkway.

Congressman Whitfield has brought important funds to airports throughout the Eastern Counties for expansions and improvements. The Russellville-Logan County Airport has received $792,000 in federal funds through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Tompkinsville-Monroe Airport has received $479,000 and the Russell County Airport has received $166,000 under the same program. 

CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Congressman Whitfield has been instrumental in securing funding for the Wolf Creek Dam Rehabilitation project. He has also worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to relocate marinas and deal with ongoing Corps permitting to alleviate business loss in the area. The Congressman lobbied for funding for emergency warning sirens in the southern counties below the dam, as well as secured funding for mitigation projects, such as cleaning up the bank side of the lake. 

Congressman Whitfield has also worked with the Small Business Administration to offer low interest loans to affected businesses. More than 25 businesses have been helped by these low-interest disaster loans in counties who have been affected by the low water level on Lake Cumberland.

HEALTH

Congressman Whitfield has secured two new Community Health Centers in Butler and Cumberland Counties, authoring letters and making phone calls to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Fairview Health Centers in support of the facilities. These two centers provide free health care to over 20,000 patients at full capacity.