Gov. Beshear Named States’ Co-Chair of Appalachian Regional Commission

Gov. Beshear chosen by fellow Appalachian governors to lead in bringing jobs, opportunity to region

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 4, 2023) – Gov. Andy Beshear has been elected by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as the states’ co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for 2023. In this role, Gov. Beshear will work alongside federal co-chair Gayle Manchin to lead the commission in bolstering economic and community growth across the 13 states of the region. Kentucky will also host ARC’s annual conference in the fall of 2023.

“I am honored to have been chosen by my fellow Appalachian governors to co-chair the Appalachian Regional Commission. ARC investments are building better lives for current and future generations here in Kentucky and across the ARC region,” Gov. Beshear said. “Access to quality health care, a good paying job and clean water should not be determined by your zip code. I want to thank my fellow ARC governors for entrusting me with this role, and I look forward to continuing our important work together.”

Gov. Beshear will serve as ARC’s 70th states’ co-chair and the first from Kentucky since his father, former Gov. Steve Beshear, served in the role in 2015.

“It is my honor to welcome Gov. Beshear as ARC’s 2023 states’ co-chair,” Manchin said. “I look forward to continuing to collaborate with him and all of our Appalachian governors as we advance ARC’s mission to bring economic parity and transformational opportunities to the region’s 26 million people.”

In 2022, Kentucky received $51,127,188 in ARC funding. That funding went toward projects like the construction of a water treatment plant, a new steel facility and improvements at Breaks Interstate Park. In FY 2022, ARC invested nearly $240 million throughout the entire Appalachian region, which attracted an additional $1.57 billion in private investments.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.