National coalition urges Congress to boost support for communities transitioning from fossil fuels

CONTACT: Jeremy Richardson, Union of Concerned Scientists, [email protected], 301-442-1326 Cat McCue, Appalachian Voices, [email protected], 434-293-6373 Washington, DC – As America continues to transition toward clean energy, Congress must take swift and comprehensive action to support the workers and communities — from Appalachia to the West — who have historically depended on the coal, oil and…

Read More

New Virginia law sets up stakeholder process to diversify coal region’s economy

CONTACT: Chelsea Barnes, Legislative Director, [email protected], 614-205-6424 Governor Northam has signed into law a bill, passed by the General Assembly during the 2021 session, that ends decades-old tax credits for the coal industry and establishes a stakeholder process to inform economic development and transition in Southwest Virginia. The governor signed the bill on Thursday. Ending…

Read More

Major grant awarded for Appalachian Voices’ jobs, economic project in Southwest Virginia

The GO Virginia State Board has approved a Per Capita application for the Appalachian Voices “Energy Storage and Electrification Manufacturing Jobs” project. Approved at $486,366, the project will create jobs in GO Virginia Region One in the energy storage and electrification manufacturing field while attracting investments and expanding the local tax base. CONTACT: Kalen Hunter,…

Read More

Bills to ensure coal communities are part of America’s economic recovery introduced in Congress

CONTACT: Thom Kay, Legislative Director, [email protected], 864-580-1843 Cat McCue, Communications Strategist, [email protected], 434-293-6373 Read our March 5 blog for more background. Washington, DC — As coal-impacted communities grapple with economic decline and public health risks made significantly worse by the Covid-19 crisis, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) introduced two bills in…

Read More