No New Prison in “District 12”

Update: Federal prison in Letcher County wrong for region, environment, prisoners

Sign the petition today!: No New Max-Security Federal Prison on Toxic Coal Mining Site

The Prison Ecology Project (PEP) is a national effort to organize people around the intersection of issues of incarceration and the environment.

PEP is spearheading a fight against a proposed federal prison that could be built in Kentucky.

PEP notes:

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has proposed to build a new facility located in the mountains of eastern Kentucky—the actual region used as the model for “District 12” in The Hunger Games trilogy, showing that the police state isn’t just science fiction.

This BOP plan represents much of the environmental and social problems with building and operating prisons. On July 31, after cutting many corners on permitting requirements, the Bureau published a Notice of Availability (NOA) on July 31, 2015 for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), indicating that they are choosing a former mountaintop removal coal mining site to build on.

The publication of this NOA began a 30-day review period where we must submit our comments opposing the plan to put them on the record.

Download and read Final Environmental Impact Statement here.

Read the Human Rights Defense Center comment on the proposed prison here.

PEP is urging folks both here in Appalachia and nationwide to comment on the proposal. Follow this link to send a quick note to the BOP.

Learn more about PEP here.