Editing Muhlenberg County, Kentucky (section)

==Economy==
[[File:AParadise1Wiki.jpg|thumb|[[Paradise Combined Cycle Plant]] sits close to the original site of the village of Paradise, Kentucky. Originally a coal-fired plant, the plant was the second largest coal-fired plant operated by TVA with a capacity of 2,630 [[megawatt]]s. The plant now burns natural gas, and has a capacity of 1,025 MW.]]

Muhlenberg County has been a major [[coal]]-producing region for the United States for many years; during most of the 1970s, Muhlenberg County annually produced more coal than anywhere else in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Iconic plant's end spells doom for struggling coal industry |url=https://apnews.com/article/health-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-mitch-mcconnell-ece48ac60642d759764e37e55fbc744d |website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Although coal mining in the county waned in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the 21st century began, the coal-mining industry in Muhlenberg and surrounding counties began to expand and has once again provided a significant number of jobs in the region. One reason for this is the willingness of utility operators to install [[Flue-gas desulfurization|flue gas cleaning systems]] so that bituminous coal can be burned with fewer airborne contaminants. Another reason is that most coal from the western US has a lower BTU content.

Muhlenberg County held Kentucky's first commercial coal mine, opened in 1820 as the "McLean Drift Bank" along the [[Green River (Kentucky)|Green River]] in the former village of [[Paradise, Kentucky|Paradise]]. The mine and its impact on the community are referenced in the [[John Prine]] song "[[Paradise (John Prine song)|Paradise]]". Other major employers in Muhlenberg County include:
* The [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] [[Paradise Combined Cycle Plant]] in [[Drakesboro, Kentucky|Drakesboro]]
* The Green River Correctional Complex in [[Central City, Kentucky|Central City]]
* [[Dyno Nobel]] in [[Graham, Kentucky|Graham]]
* [[Ensign-Bickford Company|EBA&D]] in Graham
* Muhlenberg Community Hospital in [[Greenville, Kentucky|Greenville]]
* Muhlenberg County Board of Education in [[Powderly, Kentucky|Powderly]]
* [[Kentucky National Guard]] [[Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center]] & Kentucky UTES
* Armstrong Coal Company in Central City
* Ken-American Resources: Paradise Underground Mine in Central City
* [[Kentucky Utilities]] Green River Generating Station in Central City
* [[Wal-Mart]] in Central City.
* Uncle Lee's / Wing Supply in Greenville, Kentucky
* Gourmet Express in Greenville<ref>{{Cite web |title=Major Employers in Muhlenberg County Kentucky |url=http://www.mafp.us/major-employers.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502001403/http://www.mafp.us/major-employers.html |archive-date=May 2, 2014 |website=mafp.us}}</ref>

===Chamber of Commerce===
In January 2006, the Chambers of Commerce from [[Central City, Kentucky|Central City]] and [[Greenville, Kentucky|Greenville]] merged to form the Greater Muhlenberg Chamber of Commerce, representing over 155 local businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greater Muhlenberg Chamber of Commerce - Letter from the President (February 2006) |url=http://www.muhlenbergchamber.org/president.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927212936/http://www.muhlenbergchamber.org/president.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=Greater Muhlenberg Chamber of Commerce |language=en-US}}</ref>