Posts Tagged ‘economic development’
Southwest Va. group plans for more solar energy in coal region
CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager Appalachian Voices chelsea@appvoices.org (276) 207-9636 The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is seeking bids for 12 solar projects totalling 2.73 megawatts of energy generation as part of its Commercial-Scale Group Purchase Program. The projects to be developed on businesses, nonprofits and local government properties across Lee, Scott, Tazewell,…
Read MoreProjects to reclaim old coal sites get $10 million in federal grants
Ten economic development projects in Southwest Virginia have been selected to receive $10 through the Abandoned Mine Land Pilot Program, including a multi-use trail and a commercial solar farm.
Read MoreSouthwest Virginia awarded grants for innovative coal mine reclamation projects
CONTACT Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org, (276) 207-9636 Norton, Va. — Ten community revitalization projects that will reclaim old coal mining sites in Southwest Virginia will receive $10 million in grant money administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The grants come through congressional funding for the Abandoned Mine Lands…
Read MoreGood – and not-so-good – mine reclamation projects
Congress has funded “pilot” projects to repurpose old coal sites in Appalachia for three years; the results show a clear need for a strong RECLAIM Act grounded in community-driven goals and environmental cleanup.
Read MoreSouthwest Va. solar group seeks local partners for group purchase program
CONTACT Chelsea Barnes New Economy Program Manager chelsea@appvoices.org, (276) 207-9636 The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia has announced an opportunity for businesses, government and nonprofit entities to go solar and save money on electricity bills through its second Commercial-Scale Solar Group Purchase. In 2018, the workgroup successfully facilitated its first Commercial-Scale Solar Group Purchase for…
Read MoreVirginia company wins bid to negotiate contracts to install six solar projects in Southwest Virginia
Wise, Va. — The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia is pleased to announce that the team led by NCI, Inc. of Richmond, VA has been awarded the 1.5-megawatt Southwest Virginia Solar Project Portfolio. NCI teamed with Acorn Electrical Specialists (Piney Flats, Tenn.) and RockBridge Energy (Savannah, GA) to complete the Request for Proposal. The portfolio…
Read More20 former coal sites in Appalachia identified for innovative economic development
Norton, VA — A coalition of groups in Central Appalachia today issued a report highlighting 20 innovate projects that would clean up abandoned coal mine lands and give them new life as sustainable agriculture businesses, solar farms or other economic ventures. The report, Many Voices, Many Solutions: Innovative Mine Reclamation in Central Appalachia, provides economic…
Read MoreRemaking Downtowns
Communities across Appalachia are striving to bring new energy to downtowns that have suffered from population decline or the loss of once-dominant industries.
Read MoreHouse renews funding to clean up old coal mines
The House of Representatives yesterday evening passed two measures that would continue the critical work of communities in Central Appalachia to cleanup and repurpose old coal mines for new economic development initiatives. The two amendments to the Interior appropriations bill were joined and passed by a single voice vote. One identifies six states to receive…
Read MoreSummit Stresses Sustainability in Climbing
The two-day workshop hosted by The Access Fund in April was centered on ensuring that rock climbing has a positive environmental and economic impact as the sport grows in the Appalachian region.
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