Press Statement

ADVISORY: ReImagine Appalachia to Host Second Annual Virtual Summit on Shuttered Coal Plants

By October 16, 2024No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2024

Contact: John Neurohr, [email protected], 717-364-6452

APPALACHIA – Reimagine Appalachia will host a virtual “ReImagining Shuttered Coal Plants Summit” on Wednesday, October 16th, from 12:00PM to 3:00PM EST via Zoom. The summit, hosted by BlueGreen Alliance, KO Consulting, LLC and Southeastern Ohio Port Authority, will focus on the potential and challenges in promoting sustainable development at the sites of former coal plants, and how communities can have a strong voice in redevelopment planning.

This year’s summit will publicly launch a “toolkit” for redeveloping shuttered coal plants and provide information on turning coal ash ponds from liabilities to assets. Discussions will explore the potential for transforming coal plants into eco-industrial parks that produce sustainable products of the future.

This summit will cover:

  • Opportunities and investment incentives for redeveloping shuttered coal plants
  • Challenges and barriers to sustainable redevelopment
  • The role of community stakeholders in redevelopment planning
  • Case studies of redevelopment work already underway in various locations
  • Models of sustainable development from around the nation and the world

WHAT: Virtual summit on sustainable development of shuttered coal plants

WHEN: Wednesday, October 16th, 12:00PM to 3:00PM EST

WHERE: Via Zoom – register here

WHO: Speakers include representatives from, among others:

  • The U.S. Department of Energy
  • Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI)
  • Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University
  • Buckeye Hills Regional Council
  • ReImagine Beaver County
  • Friends of the Riverfront
  • Minnesota Energy Transition Office

Last year, nearly 250 people registered for the event, which launched many important regional conversations and connections, as well as new research and action plans. This year’s summit promises to build on that success and provide valuable insights into the redevelopment of shuttered coal plants.

Register for the Summit here.