These are the very communities that have been hit hard by the mine idles and layoffs that have come from the shaky market.

State governor Steve Beshear said 34 counties in the state would share $US585,600 of revenue from mining permit fees and acreage fees.

The DCNR’s process includes returning a portion of such fees to coal-producing countries to assist with projects in local communities.

Some of the funding earmarks are insignificant – McCreary County, for example, will receive just $62 – but many of counties will receive much more.

Pike County, one of the largest coal-mining counties in the state, will get $111,948.

Coal-rich Harlan County and Letcher County will receive $35,217 and $33,437, respectively. In all, 11 counties will receive more than $23,000 each.

“Every effort is being made by this administration to help the mining industry extract coal in a manner that is safe, efficient and protective of our environment,” Beshear said.

“Our coal-producing counties are our partners and these funds provide a direct benefit for their efforts.”

Kentucky is the third-largest coal producing state in the US.

According to the Kentucky Coal Association, the state had 449 active coal operations in 2009, the last whole-year data available. Surface mines totaled 251, while 198 mines were underground.

Total production that year was 107.3 million tons.