The Unemployment Gap in Appalachia
In late July, we co-released a report that proposed a targeted subsidized employment program aimed at finding jobs for those disconnected from the workforce in Appalachia. Specifically, the report explored the large number of prime-age workers – those between ages 25 and 54 – that are not included in the formal labor force and […]
ORVI in Southeastern Louisiana to Learn about a True Transition for Oil & Gas Workers
During the third week in March, I had the opportunity to travel to southeastern Louisiana to take part in several events sponsored by True Transition, a new group working to build a brighter future for oil and gas workers and communities across the country. For over a year, I have had the honor of serving […]
First Tranche of Federal Orphan Well Funds Out the Door
In August of 2022, the US Department of Interior (DOI) announced it awarded 24 states $560 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to plug over 10,000 wells, reclaim well sites, and measure methane emissions. In January of last year, DOI announced that 26 states were eligible for $25 million each, or $650 million […]
RECOMPETE Act Offers Support for Realizing ReImagined Appalachian Communities
Last year, ReImagine Appalachia published an overview of Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funding since 1965. We highlighted that non-highway funding for ARC has declined about $650 million annually since the late 1970s and early 1980s—when parts of the ARC region, including PA-OH-WV and KY, lost big parts of their traditional economic base in extractive […]
Maximizing Impact of Federal Orphaned Well Program in States
Earlier this month, we provided an explainer of the $4.7 billion federal orphaned well program that was included in the federal infrastructure legislation (the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021) and what that meant for states in the Ohio River Valley. To recap, the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia could receive […]
Federal Orphan Well Funding, Explained
At the end of January, the Biden administration and the US Department of Interior (DOI) announced the first round of $1.15 billion in funding from a new federal orphaned well program to plug, remediate, and reclaim oil and gas wells. As part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Orphaned Well […]
Stayin’ Alive: The Last Days of Stripper Wells in the Ohio River Valley
Low-producing oil and gas wells could soon become costly public liabilities.
Repairing the Damage: Cleaning Up Hazardous Coal Ash Can Create Jobs and Improve the Environment
Cleaning up hazardous coal ash sites in the Ohio Valley can alleviate environmental and public health threats and create jobs.
A Stronger Appalachian Regional Commission Vital to Economic Progress
A funding boost could enable the Appalachian Regional Commission to improve regional infrastructure and generate real, lasting prosperity.
A Big Civilian Climate Corps is Vital for Economy and Appalachia
A revamped Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) could reduce carbon emissions, grow jobs, and restore our natural resources and environment in the Ohio River Valley and beyond.