(BOP) - In May, during a staff recognition event, Bureau of Prisons Director, Charles E. Samuels, Jr., cut the ceremonial ribbon for the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Hazelton, West Virginia. The Director was joined by (from l-r): Suzanne Bentzel, Appropriations Director on behalf of Sen. Jay Rockfeller (WVa), Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Ike Eichenlaub, and FCI Warden Leonard Oddo. Director Samuels thanked all staff involved in the design, construction, and activation of the facility. He reminded staff that they are tasked not only with ensuring institution safety and security, but also with preparing inmates for a successful release into our communities. He ended his remarks by challenging all staff to make a positive difference in the lives of those around them.
The new FCI, a medium security institution for male offenders, is co-located with the United States Penitentiary, a Secure Female Facility and a Satellite Prison Camp. The prison has a rated capacity of 1,152 beds in six housing units.
Designed to minimize environmental impact and conserve resources, the facility features laundry recycling systems that will save over two million gallons of water per year. In addition, efficient plumbing fixtures, such as low-flow showers and toilets, and highly efficient HVAC systems have earned the FCI Hazelton facility a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification with the U.S. Green Building Council. This is the first time the Bureau has earned such a distinction.