State senator touts bridge funding, river restoration authority and energy grants during Newport appearance

Sen. Shelley Funke Fromeyer visited the Newport Board of Commissioners on May 18 to outline priorities from the recently completed legislative session and to invite local input as lawmakers begin the interim.

Fromeyer said the state’s biennium budget totaled "right around 31,000,000,000," and noted legislators had set aside roughly $1.77 billion in a trust fund to support statewide and regional projects. She singled out the Purple People Bridge lighting project in Newport, saying the city’s $2 million investment can be leveraged "two to four times as much" to attract further general‑fund dollars and regional investment.

The senator described a push to organize river restoration and recreation work through the Kentucky Ohio River Regional Recreation Authority (KORA). She said a bipartisan federal effort could provide "$350,000,000 in funding for 5 consecutive years" to support clean water, wildlife, expanded recreation and economic development along the Ohio River.

Fromeyer also discussed energy priorities, including her role on the Nuclear Energy Development Authority and a $75 million grant pool intended to spur local and regional projects. She said the goal is not to "bulldoze" nuclear power into communities but to pursue a mix of resources that provides reliable baseload power while supporting solar and other renewables. Fromeyer pointed to recent symposiums and pilot projects that seek to convert certain spent materials into energy.

Why it matters: The senator framed the funding and authority proposals as opportunities to attract federal and state dollars for local infrastructure, conservation and tourism projects. If KORA or the proposed federal funding are finalized, regional river cities including Newport could compete for grants to fund shoreline cleanup, recreation improvements and economic development tied to river access.

What was said: "We budgeted right around 31,000,000,000," Fromeyer said. She described KORA as a vehicle to pull down federal matching dollars and called the Purple People Bridge a regional asset: "you are the stewards of that in your community." She offered to keep Newport "front and center" as she works interim committee assignments.

Next steps: Fromeyer asked the commission to identify local issues for her to prioritize during the interim committee work she will carry out. Commissioners welcomed the support and noted ongoing local cleanup and recreation testing efforts on the river.