OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Officials in a western Kentucky county are willing to chip in $625,000 to help build a plant to convert to coal into diesel fuel.

Muhlenberg County has agreed to give the money to Fuel Frontiers Inc. of Washington and Kentucky Fuel Associates of Lousiville.

The two firms have paired up to build a plant in Muhlenberg County that would produce 70 million gallons of diesel fuel a year by late 2011.

Muhlenberg County Judge-Executive Rick Newman calls the project a start toward revitalzing the coal industry. Construction is scheduled to begin next year and it will employ about 80 workers when it begins commercial production of diesel fuel in late 2011.