McDowell Officials: Transfer of 400 Acres to Feds Progress

Despite a threat by the Bush administration, officials in McDowell County are proceeding with the transfer of more than 400acres of land near Welch to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The property located at the Indian Ridge Industrial Park will be signed over to the federal agency Thursday, Gordon Lambert, county commission president, said.

“We are turning over the property to the Federal Bureau of Prisons,” Lambert said. “It's just another forward step in making this happen.”

Lambert, who will be joined by commissioner Carl Urps and other officials at the informal signing ceremony, said the property transfer, along with the award earlier this year of a $7.3 million design contract, brings the federal prison another step closer toward construction.

The design contract was awarded earlier this year despite White House efforts to cancel more than $142 million in federal funds for the 1,280 bed federal prison.

“There was never any doubt in our mind that this would happen with our congressmen, Byrd, Rahall, and Rockefeller, behind us. It's just another step in making this happen.”

Lambert said the 409 acres of land is located near the proposed interchange site of the King Coal Highway and the Coalfields Expressway at the industrial park.

By transferring the property ownership to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the agency will be able to commence with construction on the 1,280 bed structure.

U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., and U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., are all fighting the White House efforts to cancel the project.

Byrd argued earlier this year that it was “absolutely shortsighted” for the White House to attempt to take away federal dollars for a project already approved and signed into law.

The three lawmakers also sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales urging him and the Bush Administration to withdraw its plan to cancel funding for construction of the federal prison, according to an earlier report by Byrd spokesman Tom Gavin.

--Charles Owens (Bluefield Telegraph)