Oct 16 Economy ARC Investing Over 15 Million In Ohio Valley Economic Projects The Appalachian Regional Commission is investing another $43.3 million in communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry. The latest POWER grants from the ARC will support 51 projects in coal-dependent communities, including over $15 million for 20 projects in the Ohio Valley. The investments are going towards projects that will support broadband expansion, […] By Alana Watson Oct 16 Economy ARC Investing Over 15 Million In Ohio Valley Economic Projects Alana Watson
Jul 1 Energy & Environment Competing Reports Offer Different Outlook On Ohio Valley’s Petrochemical Future A new report by the Trump administration suggests the Ohio Valley’s growing petrochemical industry could be an unprecedented source of economic opportunity and growth when the county, and region, eventually emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. But the assessment is drawing criticism from environmental groups and some financial analysts that warn the risk is growing for […] By Brittany Patterson Jul 1 Energy & Environment Competing Reports Offer Different Outlook On Ohio Valley’s Petrochemical Future Brittany Patterson
Jun 26 Economy Coal Towns Were Counting On Tourism For New Jobs. Then Coronavirus Hit. On a recent sunny weekday, Bill Currey proudly walks among 30 neatly stacked, brightly colored plastic kayaks. Birds chirp merrily, and the soothing sounds of the meandering Coal River permeate the background — nature’s version of a white noise machine. For the tanned Currey, who also owns an industrial real estate company, being here, on […] By Brittany Patterson Jun 26 Economy Coal Towns Were Counting On Tourism For New Jobs. Then Coronavirus Hit. Brittany Patterson
Feb 14 Energy & Environment Just Transition: Amid Climate Debate And Coal’s Decline, West Virginia Considers Its Future On a recent soggy Wednesday evening, dozens of West Virginians packed a conference room inside the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center to discuss the need for a “just transition” for coal-impacted communities. As the nation grapples with climate change, the need for a fair transition for workers and communities that depend upon coal jobs and […] By Brittany Patterson Feb 14 Energy & Environment Just Transition: Amid Climate Debate And Coal’s Decline, West Virginia Considers Its Future Brittany Patterson
Nov 8 Economy Portal 31: How A Closed Mine Opened New Prospects For One Coal Town Devin Mefford is sitting in the squat metal buggy of a modified mantrip, the train-like shuttle coal miners use to travel underground. Mefford is dressed for work, in a hardhat and a navy shirt and pants with lime green reflective stripes. It’s a uniform his father and grandfather — both Kentucky coal miners — would […] By Brittany Patterson Nov 8 Economy Portal 31: How A Closed Mine Opened New Prospects For One Coal Town Brittany Patterson
Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Curtis Cress sat in the gravel beside a railroad track in Harlan County, Kentucky. Tall and thin with a long, black beard, Cress is every bit a coal miner, or, he was until a month ago. “It’s part of my heritage, you know? My dad and papaws had always done it,” he said. “And I’m […] By Sydney Boles Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Sydney Boles
Jul 31 Health ARC Awards Grant To Help Pave Road To Addiction Recovery The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded a major grant to what it calls an innovative pilot program for a region hit hard by the addiction crisis. The goal is to help people struggling with addiction get on the road to treatment, recovery, and – ultimately – employment. People with substance use disorders can have trouble […] By Aaron Payne Jul 31 Health ARC Awards Grant To Help Pave Road To Addiction Recovery Aaron Payne
Jul 15 Economy “Death Spiral.” How A Carbon Tax Could End Some Coal Towns … Or Fund A New Future Declining coal tax revenues place coal-reliant counties in Appalachia at risk of fiscal collapse, according to new research from the centrist Brookings Institution and Columbia University. Policies designed to prevent further climate change would accelerate that decline, the report found, but could also provide a new stream of revenue to help communities rebound from coal’s […] By Sydney Boles Jul 15 Economy “Death Spiral.” How A Carbon Tax Could End Some Coal Towns … Or Fund A New Future Sydney Boles
Jun 25 Economy New Economic Data Show Appalachia’s Struggles Amid Coal’s Decline An annual report from the Appalachian Regional Commission shows that while Appalachia is seeing some economic improvement, the heart of the region and its coal-producing communities are still struggling. Several counties in the Ohio Valley are moving in a negative direction in this year’s report. The ARC report evaluates the Appalachian region using county-level data […] By Becca Schimmel Jun 25 Economy New Economic Data Show Appalachia’s Struggles Amid Coal’s Decline Becca Schimmel
May 24 Economy ARC POWER Grant Recipients Meet To Discuss Economic Development Recipients of grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization, or POWER Initiative, gathered in Athens, Ohio, Wednesday and Thursday to share their experiences. Representatives from many of the 185 ongoing POWER projects shared how they’re using their funds to diversify the economies in communities hit by the decline […] By Aaron Payne May 24 Economy ARC POWER Grant Recipients Meet To Discuss Economic Development Aaron Payne