Congress is working on a clean-energy package. Groups across Appalachia want to make sure these investments benefit communities long hurt by coal and power plant pollution improve their economic fortunes.
Blog Archives
Groups urge Biden and Congress to ensure climate action helps coal-impacted communities
TAGS: budget reconciliation clean energy Climate change energy transition jobs just transition manufacturing
Cleaning up mines owned by Gov. Justice and his family would create hundreds of jobs
There is enough outstanding reclamation liability on coal mines owned by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and/or his adult children to employ 220 to 460 workers for five years, according to our report. Nearly 34,000 acres of Justice-family mines across five states are in need of some degree of environmental cleanup.
Senate passes victory for abandoned mine lands – On to the House for improvements
The Senate just passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes the LARGEST-EVER investment in abandoned mine land clean-up. Now we need the House to pass this bill with a few small changes that will make a big difference for local communities.
TAGS: abandoned mine lands AML reauthorization Coal infrastructure bill jobs mine reclamation RECLAIM Coalition
Coalition launches second round of funding for reclaiming coal sites
CONTACT: Joey James, Principal, Downstream Strategies, jjames@downstreamstrategies.com, 304-292-2450 Following the success of its inaugural mini-grant program in 2020, the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition is preparing to fund a new set of partners and their innovative mine land reclamation and economic development…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml Coal Downstream Strategies economic development jobs reclaim Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition reclamation
Now Hiring!
We are seeking a Field Coordinator based in our Norton, Va., office to work with our New Economy team in Southwest Virginia.
Trump administration backs down on closing job centers
The Trump administration opted not to close down nine job centers that serve rural areas, including four in Appalachia, after widespread public backlash.
TAGS: ccc civilian conservation corps economic development Job Corps jobs President Trump trump U.S. Department of Labor
Solar Jobs on the Rise
By Elizabeth E. Payne In 2016, a record number of jobs were created to make, sell and install solar panels across the United States, according to a new report by The Solar Foundation. There were 260,077 jobs in the solar…
Appalachians Look to Branch Out from Coal-Based Economy
Contact: Adam Wells, Appalachian Voices, (276) 679-1691, adam@appvoices.org Gabby Gillespie, The Alliance for Appalachia, (276) 220-5048, gabby.gillespie@sierraclub.org Eric Dixon, Appalachian Citizens Law Center, (865) 202-8688, eric@appalachianlawcenter.org Two dozen local government entities in the heart of Central Appalachia’s coalfields have passed…
TAGS: abandoned mine lands aml economic development Economic diversification jobs just transition Power Power-Plus transition
Who’s casting shadows over N.C. solar?
When it comes to jobs, pollution, and sustainability, energy from the sun beats energy from fracked gas hands down. So why are N.C. legislators and Duke Energy casting shadows over the state’s potential to become #1 in solar?
Many roads lead to clean energy
Utilities are cranking more and more electricity onto the grid on extremely cold or hot days — but too much of that ends up leaking out windows and doors in lower-income housing. As the NAACP points out, energy efficiency and other distributed energy sources are safer, healthier, and more equitable ways of providing electricity, and they have the added bonus of bringing much needed economic opportunity to communities of color.
TAGS: African American bremco dominion power Duke Energy Economic revitalization Energy Efficiency jobs low-income Solar
