Kentucky is getting ready to open one of the first coal-to-diesel plants in America, right here in "western Kentucky".

Muhlenberg County will house the $200 million "alternative energy" facility.

The effects of this coal-to-diesel plant are expected to spread across the United States.

Less dependence on gas as well as cleaner fuels for us to use.

It will also make a major impact on its "host" county and put more people back to work.

"I think it would be great for people to have more job opportunities around here," says Muhlenberg County resident, Lesley Moore.

"Its going to be a great opportunity because we need jobs in Muhlenberg County bad," agrees resident, Tanikia Alder.

The unemployment rate in Muhlenberg County has been higher than most would like to see... with it topping out at almost 11% in early 2007.

Residents say that's because there's not a lot of jobs in town.

"Since they closed down the Flynn's, there's nothing really here other than fast food and Wal-Mart and TVA," notes Alder.

"Usually you're either working in the medical field, like at a hospital or nursing home, or you're in fast food," explains Moore.

A multi-million dollar revival of Muhlenberg County's coal mines expects to change that.

"It will add a range of 80 to 100 people then you double that for support services, the coal miners, the truck drivers, the fuel deliverers..." says 15th District State Representative, Brent Yonts.

In all, a total of 300 jobs could become available.

The plant would produce 70 million gallons of diesel a day by using the natural assets of the county's mines and the nearby Green River.

Muhlenberg County Industrial Development specialist Kim Logsdon says an addition like this will surely restore the luster to the one-time mining center.

"It is coming back from what it had been. At one time, Muhlenberg County was the top coal producer in the world," says Logsdon.

The project could bring even more economic strength if all goes well.

"There's potential service industry positions as well as manufacturing we're working on," Logsdon says.

Which would make a lot of Muhlenberg County residents very happy.

In addition to making bio-diesel fuel, the plant will also produce electricity as a side project.

For those who might be interested in getting a job at the plant, right now the Career Center in Powderly is conducting coal miner training courses.