On Aug. 24, the White House announced the recipients of $38.8 million in POWER Initiative grants. This federal program provides assistance to communities economically damaged by the collapse of the coal industry.
A majority of the 29 projects receiving funding are in in Central Appalachia. Other funded projects are in Alabama, Texas and Pennsylvania.
The POWER Initiative provides money for projects that will help communities transition to a post-coal economy. Funded projects include the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program in Hazard, Ky., which received $2.75 million to provide technical job training to young adults and unemployed or underemployed older adults, and Appalachian Sustainable Development in Abingdon, Va., which received a $1.5 million grant to “develop a coordinated local foods distribution network throughout Central Appalachia.”
For a complete list of funded projects, visit tinyurl.com/whitehouse-power-initiative
— Elizabeth E. Payne
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