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Image shows the Capitol building next to a map of Appalachia. Both highlighted in blue with a yellow background. This visualizations interprets how the reconciliation bill would impact Appalachia.

The Impacts of the New Reconciliation Bill on Appalachian States

By Blog

June 27, 2025

ReImagine Appalachia and Keystone Research Center partnered back in April to create a report that examined how federal investments into manufacturing and deployment of clean energy technologies led to an increase of private sector investments and an enormous growth of these sectors in the region.

That report, titled “If You Fund It, They Will Come” found that the Inflation Reduction Act spurred tremendous growth for the region’s manufacturing and energy diversification potential. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act: 

  • Federal clean energy investments in Appalachia grew 17-fold between 2022 and 2024, totaling $11.5 billion across Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 
  • These investments triggered a doubling of public and private clean energy spending in the region, increasing from $7.7 billion in 2022 to nearly $15.9 billion in 2023 and continued increases in 2024. 

Unfortunately, that progress is under threat with current drafts of the reconciliation bill. We have gathered data into a series of fact sheets that highlight the harm that communities will face if manufacturing and clean energy provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are rolled back. 

These factsheets show that cuts to IRA programs will put thousands of jobs at risk, lower state GDP by billions, and increase household energy costs. 

State level impacts for the following states have been summarized into four sheets: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia. Individual district factsheets include even more examples of projects made possible by the funding Congress is proposing to eliminate: 

We have shared these findings with members of Congress – and we want to share them with you too. We encourage you to take a moment and reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to protect manufacturing and clean energy tax credits – either via our action tool or be setting up a meeting.

June 27, 2025

How C-PACE can help commercial property owners save money and install clean energy – with or without federal funding!

By Events

July 1, at noon ET via Zoom – Would you like to see more energy efficient and clean energy buildings in your community? Could C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) programs lower energy costs and save money on your commercial property? C-PACE can fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, and resiliency projects for commercial properties including multifamily residential, industrial, agricultural and nonprofit buildings.

Read More
January 5, 2024

ReImagine Appalachia in the Press

Working from the ground up

This work is best done together.

We’ve gathered visions from around the region and received input from scores of community leaders. Our endorsements come from organizations representing the voices of millions of residents across four states in the Ohio River Valley: Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

OUR PARTNERS

Expand opportunity through public investments

Create new opportunities for extractive industry workers and build career ladders for young people from all races and backgrounds.

CREATE GOOD JOBS

Publicly funded projects should come with strong wages, benefit and diversity requirements, and union rights.

GIVE COAL WORKERS PRIORITY

People moving out of extractive industries have skills we need to create the world we want.

BUILD CAREER LADDERS

Build pathways for women and people of color into union jobs and family-sustaining careers.

”We can create good jobs while putting our region’s energy dollars to better use.

Build a 21st century sustainable economy

National climate change legislation and federal economic stimulus packages are opportunities to bring much-needed resources into our region. We must be at the table, together, if we want to get a deal that works for us.

REPAIR DAMAGE DONE IN THE LAST CENTURY

Clean up abandoned properties and put them back to good use. And provide health care and secure pensions for coal workers, especially those with black lung disease.

MODERNIZE THE
ELECTRIC GRID

By upgrading our antiquated electric system, expanding broadband, and making our homes and businesses more energy efficient, we cut emissions, save money and create new jobs.

EXPAND MANUFACTURING BY MAKING IT MORE EFFICIENT AND CLEAN

Our vision grows manufacturing in the region. Federal investments will help us repurpose shuttered coal plants, turning them into eco-industrial parks. Together, we can spur more energy efficient manufacturing and reduce operating costs in a way that doesn’t involve lowering wages.

BUILD A SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

By laying rail and expanding infrastructure for electric vehicles fueled by renewables, we can create good jobs while putting half of our region’s energy dollars to better use.

RELAUNCH THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS

To absorb carbon, we can put people to work expanding our forests, wetlands, and sustainable farms. Give hiring priority to returning citizens caught up in the “war on drugs” and opioid epidemic.

”Everyone is more successful when people are paid a living wage.

Grow unions, raise wages for all workers

We must improve job quality for working people in all industries by raising the minimum wage and providing them with real rights to form a union.

Taking Action Now

Our work is time sensitive.

We’re working to ensure the people of Appalachia have a say in how our region rebuilds.

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