Debriefing the 2023 Strategy Summit

Description: Which products can be manufactured in Appalachia? How can our region take advantage of new opportunities to become leaders in manufacturing sustainable products and products that help build clean energy infrastructure. What federal resources are available to build this work? How can we encourage entities to Buy Appalachian to ensure a market for climate friendly products? Learn about ReImagine’s ongoing work to answer these questions and help shape our next steps. 

Takeaways:

Explore zero-waste manufacturing opportunities and markets – including how to use recycled, repurposed and redeveloped materials, waste, equipment, sites, etc. in the production of a variety of things. Develop understanding of the supply chain and potential partners in the work. Map out the inventory of existing manufacturers into the region to discern how local manufacturers can be included in the zero-waste economy. Identify and communicate federal funding resources available to support these endeavors. 

Rural Action in Ohio is part of a multi-state re-use network with Coalfield Development in West Virginia and other partners in Kentucky. There is an ongoing effort to try to map out materials/logistics. Who can use what materials? Then, build these materials. Example. When this collaboration started, they didn’t have good recycling and no good place to send textiles. Now, they are going to Kentucky. So, moving things around. Some of this work requires a really granular process. Center for Sustainable Business, Univ. of Pittsburgh, working on connective tissues for zero waste manufacturing. Matchmaking for zero-waste space, Event Feb. 21. Community Catalyst, working towards building a network of manufacturing extension partnerships (WV, OH, PA, MD, NY) Blue Green Alliance talked about figuring out how to help folks access these federal funds.

Develop best practice guide to creating eco-industrial parks (climate-friendly industrial parks).  This work starts with visioning work, based on existing assets and understanding the competitive advantage for communities. Will need multiple partners in a park – how do you find those partners, who is doing that now? How do we identify the developer to work with on this project? Who are developers/architects/planners who are doing this? How to identify them? 

Document success stories in green manufacturing, such as this amazing, green manufacturing revitalization of the former Weirton Steel site.

Description: Our Restorative Jobs and Opportunities in Natural Infrastructure team (REJOIN) was formed to work at the intersection of addressing natural infrastructure needs and employing workers who have been left behind. Learn about this work including what is natural infrastructure?  What are the opportunities to heal communities and our land? Hear from innovators in this field and learn what new resources can help grow this work.

Takeaways: Natural ecosystems can play a valuable role in mitigating climate change, particularly through the ability of wetlands and forests to capture and store carbon, as well as to serve as a buffer against the effects of increasingly severe storms. Preserving floodplains is a powerful way to protect areas from flooding. Co-benefits of natural infrastructure also include conserving wildlife habitat, helping to improve mental health, and creating jobs. 

An infusion of natural Infrastructure resources was included in the federal climate infrastructure package, including the  Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (370B). Grant process and options can be overwhelming, but many new opportunities will be available. While a program to revive the Civilian Conservation Corps as the Civilian Climate Corps ultimately did not make it into the final version of the Inflation Reduction Act, there is an opportunity in 2023 to have it included in the Farm Bill.

Natural climate solutions harness nature’s inherent ability to absorb carbon in soils, water, and living organisms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines natural or nature-mimicking resources as urban forests, living shorelines, coastal and forested wetlands, living shorelines, green roofs, open space, sand dunes, oyster beds, sea grasses, and coral reefs. Currently, U.S. lands sequester more than 10% of domestic carbon dioxide emissions. In 2018, U.S. forests, alone, sequestered emissions in the amount equivalent to those produced by 19 coal-fired power plants (755 million metric tons of CO2). Natural solutions have the potential, however, to remove and store up to 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide cumulatively by 2050. Conservation, restoration, and improved management of U.S. waters and lands can mitigate one-fifth of carbon emissions in the U.S. This would be equivalent to removing all cars and trucks on U.S. roads today. (source ; TNC press release) Optimizing use of land to store carbon creates durable jobs in the restoration economy. Maintaining natural infrastructure already supports a multi-million industry. National Forest System lands, for instance, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy, sustaining nearly 150,000 jobs. The number and type of jobs created with natural infrastructure resources greatly depends on the type of restoration, and the location. For more information see www.nwf.org/naturalsolutions

Description: Let’s explore opportunities for the buildout of electric vehicles in Appalachia, including public transportation, school buses, and solar panels on our parking lots to power them all. How can we help ensure these products are made in our region and benefit the communities that need them most?

Takeaways: The coalition to ReImagine Appalachia explores opportunities related to the buildout of electric vehicles in Appalachia, particularly public transportation, school buses, and solar panels over parking lots used to power them all. What is needed? How can we help ensure these products are made in our region and benefit the communities that need them most?

Appalachian public transit systems and school districts need to work together to electrify the school and public transit bus system. By working together across systems, and with labor and utility partners, EPA and Department of Transportation, systems can share costs and burdens.  In the long run, bus electrification will promote savings.  Working with the public and creating networks will help our communities as a whole move toward clean air and healthier communities.

The federal climate infrastructure package included $5 billion to replace diesel school buses, in addition to $5 billion for public transit buses. The first round of federal funding for school buses, via the EPA, had more than 2500 applications for electric school buses. However, out of 600 school districts applying, few were in Appalachia. Moms Clean Air Force in Ohio is leading a campaign to encourage more Ohio school districts to apply. 

Action items: 

1. Discussion with School Boards.  If the school boards are supportive they can show that EV is good for the community. Many school districts are not aware of the opportunity. In Ohio, only two school bus awards were in small rural districts.
2. Quantifying cost savings. Pittsburgh is seeing significant cost savings.  The company they went with creates reports to help the local government quantify savings.  Lots of costs are subsidized. Pittsburgh is also getting recycling trucks this year (from Ohio).
3. Student-led groups and school-board champion. One student-led group, with a champion on the board, helped to pass a climate action plan that will require its school board to follow. Belfont was the first municipality in PA in 2020 to pass a Climate Action Plan. However, the new board tried to shut down the Action Plan. 
4. Supply chain analysis. Electric buses, garbage trucks, batteries. Chargers. Transformers. Currently 6-8 month lag getting chargers and transformers.
5. Sharing infrastructure – fleet and public charging – attract UBers,lifts, taxis, and other bus fleets
6. Organize communities to apply together.  Examples of small communities applying together can compete against big cities
7. Advisory board – doing education, people don’t understand what level one, level two charging stations
8. Opportunity to foster competitive efforts in school districts – showcase leadership and own first place in EV infrastructure.  Shared resources within school districts.  Promote by ReImagine Appalachia
9. Reimagine representative on each state collaboration or working with state school board associations
10. Communities need to be prioritized especially environmental justice communities, its very important for these communities and should be made easy as possible
11. Increasing public interest EV – present in an easy form instead of like a research piece – partner this with a call to action to do something and showcase success
12. EVITP certification needs to be mandated 
13. We need to pull together groups that want to talk about EV, best practices, share with region
14. Community goals. City of Athens have made solar strides, want to EV whole city fleet by 2040

Issues: 

• School budgets are tight and school buses are expensive. School boards tend to focus on short-term views rather than long-term with overall cost savings.  
• You must be willing to replace and retire a diesel bus. Contractors may not want to get rid of them. This is a problem for low-income school districts who contract out their services. School districts and contractors need to communicate about rebates.
• Working with the utility company can be a challenge and there is a learning curve. Study from National Grid states that 71% of public transit stations would need an upgrade for the load of EV and a long lead time and significant There needs to be a process developed for working with the utility. Michigan has done a great job working with their utility, DTE. It would be good to discuss with them about successes. Duquesne Light has an electric vehicle team and an electric fleet program. How will you pay for the infrastructure? Especially in rural areas. 
• Where do you store them? 
• Supply chain challenge (and potential opportunity)

Description: There is a high risk that federal funds won’t flow to the under-resourced communities that need these investments the most. What are the barriers local governments and communities face to applying for federal opportunities – and how can we work to address them together? 

Takeaways: Lack of governmental agency partnerships (with one another) and lack of knowledge about grant opportunities are major barriers to community groups involvement in receiving funding.

Barriers identified: 

1. Lack of time, energy (mental and physical) and capacity while taking care of other responsibilities. Not enough time for Mayor or community, the work schedule is a hindrance to moving forward even with new money. 
2. Lack of of capacity to engage in planning. When federal funds are increased, the first that come to the table are the most organized and already have clear vision. This leaves small communities behind.
3. Lack of matching money (not enough capacity to move past day to day)** (big circles here). Trying to budget for matches is difficult. 
4. Lack of information. There is an overwhelming amount of information. To make matters worse, funds are disbursed from many different agencies. Per River Restoration Project listening session, there aren’t structures in place to make sure communities that do not traditionally receive funding are engaged. 
5. Lack of knowledge of grant administration levers. Do you know what levers to pull at the right time? Are you prepared for success?
6. Lack of interconnection between municipalities, departments, NGOs, RDDs / LDDs, federal agencies, state regulators. 

Launch ReImagine your Community Model and Catalyze Consortiums. Support community efforts to undertake metro-level climate planning and visioning efforts to help set stage for drawing down federal resources. Help bring diverse stakeholders and voices to the table. Identify, encourage federal resources to be used for this purpose. Spur joint federal grant applications and joint purchasing opportunities.

Federal agencies need to put long-term structures in place to make sure communities are systematically engaged and listened to. How can we work with federal agencies to create structures that are resourcing communities long-term. Communities haven’t been listened to for so long. Unless there are capacity and resources from the federal end, it’s patchwork rather than integrated. Community engagement system has been limited to community development in urban areas driven not by the community part of community development but by the economic development side which does not systematically engage community members. 

Build network of nonprofits and other entities that can manage relationships with federal agencies. Federal agencies are partners in this process and they’re feeling pressure to move this money and get it into the regions prioritized like coal impacted communities and 40% into marginalized and disadvantaged communities within a certain period. They want to get the money into our region. Identify relevant events federal agencies put together. Partner with Regional Planning and Development Associations (or Local Development Districts) to build long term plans together.

Description: How do we make sure federal funds create “good-paying, union jobs”? A coalition of labor partners, policy experts, and community advocates have been working for the last year to dive deep into how to maximize the value of Abandoned Mine Land cleanup funds to create good jobs. Learn about this process, what we’ve learned, what’s coming next, and how it can serve as a model for other collaborations. 

Takeaways: The work of ReImagine Appalachia’s labor team and key stakeholders from federal agencies helped to create guidelines that were fair and equitable to the people that will be implementing work surrounding funding for Abandoned Mine Land reclamation which in turn benefits the communities at-large.  This work was made possible because of collaboration throughout all stages of the process and by all stakeholders.  This work can and should be replicated in other infrastructure funding implementation.

Description: Faith communities have a unique role to play as advocates for those being left out of the conversation around federal funding and opportunities. How can faith leaders and laypeople help ensure that everyone is receiving the appropriate information and equitable benefits? How can we make information accessible and beneficial for all?   Learn about ReImagine Appalachia’s Faith in Action team’s work including our sustainable development toolkit, and help us shape our 2023 work plan.

Takeaways: People of Faith need to be encouraged to understand the policy process more; volunteer for campaign or run for office. We need to help faith communities get motivated to house events and engage members into our transition, look at our shared values’ and assist with the education on the effects and impacts of carbon pollution, especially amongst those who can do most things about it.

Description: Last spring we began a process of digging into what it will take to repurpose shuttered facilities in our region to facilities that can produce clean energy, manufacture sustainable products, or create products that help build clean energy infrastructure. These closed facilities present a burden to local communities, but have enormous potential. Learn about our early findings and help us plan what’s next. 

Takeaways:

Develop handbook of best practices for redevelopment of shuttered coal plants (and other brownfields).  Community assets that have shuttered, or are soon to be shuttered, are important places for employment, contributing to local tax bases. While they are closing, they still have a lot of physical assets – electrical infrastructure/ buildings/ land/ water rights/ access to waterways, rail. What industries might make sense to relocate there? Asset mapping. Good case study: Mitchell Power Plant Report (case study) exists, Playbook: Decommissioning and Redevelopment Playbook for the Mitchell Power Station and Adjacent Properties 

Build network of experts. Research/map who is or could be doing this work with us, in order to build a network of experts. Identify best practices for how to pull in partners to work on the problem and solution that is based in the community. 

Matchmaking, partnership building, developing communities of practice. Build out a community of practice around this. Host matchmaking event(s) where we are connecting different people/ sectors/ organizations /communities. manufacturers, developers, architects, planners, suppliers, etc. Identify partners to work on solving problems with. 

Identify grant structures / funding that can help with visioning and redevelopment. Look at EDA Planning Assistance and EPA Land Revitalization Technical Assistance. Brownfields and land revitalization office is now finally saying that the federal government needs to help with repurposing of brownfield sites. Resources in the bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities get market feasibility money, land use planners, etc to help them envision how to use the land. Department of Energy is looking for ways that the energy asset transformation group can help fund some activities. The DOE’s EIR program could be a game changer for potential developers of infrastructure that has ceased or will cease operations and puts energy communities at an advantage. Funds can be used for reclamation. Written very broadly but include worker training efforts as well. RMI wants to be a resource, reach out to us and the DOE loan program office to talk through ideas. ARPA state and local covid recovery funds could also be considered, along with the Justice40 components of redevelopment.

Better understand the regulatory system when it comes to redeveloping shuttered coal plants. One of the barriers to the shift towards more distributed generation of energy is that the regulatory infrastructure is not in place to support it and this can inhibit reclamation of sites. We will also need grid modernization. How do we also build up the grid system as we get more renewables coming online and incorporate utility scale solar and wind farms? Potential case study: Solar Holler in West Virginia learning to creatively navigate the existing system. It would be helpful to hear from them how they got around various roadblocks in WV.

Description: How can we build the work to meet returning citizens where they’re at and assist them in reintegrating to the community? Community members hard hit by the opioid epidemic and the criminal justice system must be included in the bright future we envision for the region. Learn from innovators in this important sector and help shape ReImagine Appalachia’s work.

Takeaways:

Expanding second-chance opportunities for returning citizens in natural infrastructure work 

When advocating for revitalization of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and its inclusion in the Farm Bill, we can also push that job programs be created for individuals who were previously incarcerated and are now re-entering society. Natural Infrastructure as a career choice can be beneficial to those formerly incarcerated and currently incarcerated because of the health and environmental benefits. There is a healing power of nature, from working the soil, planting the tree, releasing the butterfly.

How can we build the work to meet returning citizens where they’re at and assist them in reintegrating to the community? Community members hard hit by the opioid epidemic and the criminal justice system must be included in the bright future we envision for the region. Everyone deserves a second chance. 

Reentry does come with several challenges and these must be considered when advocating for employment through a program such as the Civilian Conservation Corps. In addition to training and skills development, challenges include access to technology, transportation, and safe and affordable housing.  

Kerry Vadasz, tells us a compelling story of success from the horticulture program she participated in at the correctional facility in Ohio where she was housed. It was based on the  “Roots of  Success” model built around the idea of building self-esteem through the provision of care for the environment. Post incarceration, Kerry now does “train the trainer” work as an environmental educator hoping to replicate her positive experience for other people dealing with incarceration.

Best Practices for re-entry:

1. Pre-release work that needs to happen: Training, soft skills. The Justice Department may provide assistance for jobs. Programing within the correctional system (ex. prisons)  
2. Wrap around service assistance (Drivers License, Food in the fridge, how to use a smartphone and other tech advances since incarceration, housing) can help get people back into the workforce quicker. 
3. Second Chance Job Program 
4. Certifications and Proposals. –  Example. Composting, EPA Certification. Pollinator Education. ReUse Program. Earth Day education. Milkweed Seeds for Ohio DOT rest stop dispenser.
5. Peer led projects and champions.
6. Illustrating that there are jobs available in this field.

Description: ReImagine Appalachia conducted interviews and listening with key stakeholders including labor, community groups, local, state and federal government entities to establish broadband priorities for our region. These essential recommendations should guide state policy when planning federal broadband fund allocations to maximize the equity and impact of broadband roll out in the region. Learn about these principles, and what’s next for implementation. 

Takeaways: ReImagine Appalachia conducted interviews and listening sessions with key stakeholders including labor, community groups, local, state and federal government entities to establish broadband priorities for our region. In December of 2022, ReImagine Appalachia released a set of collective principles for how public broadband funding should be used: https://reimagineappalachia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Using-Federal-Broadband-Funding-to-Pivot-to-a-Reimagined-Appalachia.pdf 

These essential recommendations should be used to help guide state policy when allocating federal broadband funds in order to maximize the equity impact of the broadband roll out in the region. In short, the principles promote use of a high quality workforce by employers who pay good wages and benefits. This is as opposed to using public funds to contract with groups that pay low wages and do shoddy work. Poor quality work is widespread when it is not done by unionized ISP workers or unionized contractors.  

With our basic principles in hand, the question is what do we do next? 

Host roundtable discussion. Value of labor standards. Workforce development needs for broadband buildout. 

• Issue: fragmented workforce development system, that is also siloed from economic development entities  
• Focus: Role for labor and union apprenticeship system, value of labor standards. You get what you pay for. No one benefits from cutting corners.  
• Audience (s):
  • Independent and advocacy organization to move the ball (people are sick of corporate interests getting ahead of American interests)
  • Attempt  to education economic development entities, local governments, state broadband authorities – normally they run away [perhaps federal requirements will help make them open to conversation & learning] 

Identify positive stories around local government involvement in broadband access: 

• Make sure ISPs serve the community; and other providers can step in; 
• Making portions of the middle mile publicly owned; 
• Promoting regional capacity building; 
• Enabling leadership development / local capacity building: and, 
• Examples of co-ops 

Lift up potential best practices: 

• Help tackle digital divide through ACP program education: Raising awareness of the $30 per month subsidy to k-12 advocates, school districts and subsidized housing programs.
• Lift up PA coalition of coalitions meeting, includes a few broadband reps. Meets every other Tuesday at 4:00. Is this something that could be replicated in other states. 
• Group that runs a “community census” program to collect information that the community needs. 

Mapping process is not over  

Broadband maps will drive how much money states get. One expert in Pennsylvania, for instance, estimates that erroneous claims about broadband access and speeds could cost the state $100 million in federal support. However, there are substantial technical challenges to direct participation in the bulk and even the individual challenge process. The “Soft” deadline of Jan 13, 2023 passed. However, there has been a big push to delay the initial freeze date because there has not been enough time and a lack of clarity around the process. Either way, this will be an ongoing issue. 

Description: The Inflation Reduction Act is directing unprecedented levels of funding toward deploying distributed solar while the technology continues to improve. But even this is not enough to ensure that the benefits of solar are shared broadly and that the pace of adoption is adequate. This workshop will cover tactics we can all use to accelerate the adoption of solar in diverse communities across Appalachia, with a focus on the solar co-op and “REAP Roadshow” models developed by Solar United Neighbors. Participants will identify concrete ways our organizations can collaborate this year to accelerate solar deployment.

Takeaways: Solar United Neighbors (SUN) provided concrete information on why & how they deploy Solar Co-Ops in communities across the US. Solar Co-Op benefits include: more widely shared benefits & access to PV; increased education, technical assistance, and understanding of PV environmental & cost benefits; protection from unscrupulous contractors; reduced cost of materials & installation; reduced utility monopolies; increased homeowner control over their energy supply; and increased energy security locally, regionally & nationally. 

Description: How do we ensure that federal money creates good, family sustaining careers for Appalachian workers? Learn about top priorities that must be present in federal funding to create short and long term improvements for workers in our region. We’ll also discuss how labor standards improve project outcomes and how to grow these programs in our region.

Takeaways: Strong policies and detailed rules and regulations are required to level the playing field for workers, otherwise low road contractors who do bad work and steal from workers win. Studies show awarding work to high-road contracts makes federal funding more impactful and improves project outcomes. We all know you get what you pay for. High-road contractors do better work safer. Union contractors have lower injury rates on jobs than non-union contractors and less wage theft. We don’t want to give public taxpayer dollars to people who are going to injure their workers and do a bad job. 

1. State, federal and local governments need to enforce the labor laws we already have on the books. Public funds should be spent in ways that does not undermine workers. Over many years we’ve passed Davis-Bacon, MSHA, OSHA, etc. Federal awarding agencies have the right to enforce prevailing wage laws, but often don’t. No penalties or consequences. There should be penalties, like disqualification from public contracts, if and when contractors violate labor law.

2. Use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) are the gold standard priority for labor. Responsible bidder language is back up. Some states have outlawed PLA requirements or they may not be politically feasible. If that is truly the case, responsible bidder language can be a good backup policy. State or local level procurement should go not just to lowest bid but also to a contractor that is “responsible.”  “Responsible” needs to be defined by agencies, municipalities, states, etc. Labor can help with language. “Responsible bidder” ordinances can include OSHA issues, labor law violations, benefit and wage requirements, etc. PLA if you can, responsible bidder if not. Labor has info on the effects on responsible bidder language and the positive effects for workers. Public money should be spent on companies that benefit workers. Gold Standard: Maximizing Value of federal climate infrastructure investments https://reimagineappalachia.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Community-Benefits_Whitepaper.pdf

3. Labor also supports apprenticeship utilization requirements. There will be a need for more workers. Many people in the construction workforce are aging out and retiring. Plus, Appalachia has low workforce participation rates. Apprenticeships are paid and come with no debt. So, they represent a huge opportunity for Appalachia’s low-wage and discouraged workforce. There are still supply chain issues but on the construction workforce side remaining. However, union contractors are less likely to have issues filling workplace requirements (and, in turn, are 21% percent less likely to experience construction delays). In fact, union contractors were more likely to add workers during 2021. Apprenticeship programs played a large role in this. Another benefit of registered apprenticeship is that it is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in construction, when it comes to wage outcomes. 

4. Bundling is also key, across many sectors, to get union contractors to bid on projects. Small projects favor low road contractors. Bundling of small projects into one larger project will help get established union contractors to bid. The bundled project doesn’t have to be huge, roughly $1 million or more.

5. Bring labor to the project table early and often in the project development process. Building trades are experts in building stuff, bring us to table at the beginning and we can answer questions and shape good policy to create good careers. Raising up good contractors projects workers. 

6. Good bidding process and oversight is needed. Bids cost time, money and energy for contractors.

Department of Labor and the Good Jobs Initiative Requirements. Drawing on the expertise of labor and community organizations, and thinking strategically together, will be key for success in competitive grants. If you look at official funding notices, you will see the seeds in the federal policy guidance for good union jobs. The Dept. of Labor and other federal agencies want to know who has made commitments and who has not.

Description: In order to increase manufacturing capacity we have to bring in new workers. What are strategies for bringing in a new diverse workforce? Can we replicate the apprenticeship model in the manufacturing sector? What is the role that coops can play? 

Takeaways:

Background: Our challenge is combining the needs for jobs today and tomorrow with the longer term needs of building a local skilled and empowered workforce. As we rebuild the nation’s domestic manufacturing capacity, and promote making Appalachia a hub for sustainable products of the future, we will need to bring in new workers. What are strategies for bringing in a new diverse workforce? Can we replicate the apprenticeship model in the manufacturing sector? What is the role that coops can play?

The Manufacturing workforce of the future is critical to the Appalachian region- we must ensure this region is not left-out of conversations surrounding this. We must also ensure we grow manufacturing in a way that is good for the environment and builds local wealth in the community.  In order for this to happen, labor, environmental, and government agencies must work together towards a future that benefits everyone- collaboration is key!  

There are manufacturing workforce implications from ReImagine’s various issues areas: 

• Making It in Appalachia
• Electrifying Public Transportation, 
• Climate Friendly Industrial Parks, 
• Accelerating Solar Deployment 
• REJOIN (natural infrastructure) 

How can we feed information from these efforts to identify targeted workforce challenges? Can folks working in these various issue areas help identify workforce needs, including existing workforce skills, new needed skills and workforce inclusion efforts. For example, who builds solar racks, panels, grid connectors? Can we add local workforce elements to the group (perhaps through apprentice programs)? Can we also start discussions around co-ops and building an ownership culture?

As we explore the zero waste economy, for instance, we will simultaneously need to identify the workforce implications of growing that industry. For example, what are the workforce implications of making eco-bricks from fly ash? Powering industry with efficient energy technology and renewable energy sources, providing zero-waste management services? Opening resource recovery centers to find alternative uses for waste products?

Description: The Farm Bill will be reauthorized in the Fall of 2023, but now is the time to start talking about priorities for the region. Learn about opportunities for sustainable agriculture, possibilities for funding the Civilian Conservation Corps, and other ways we hope to reimagine the Farm Bill. 

Takeaways:

The Farm Bill will be reauthorized in the Fall of 2023. The Farm Bill touches many aspects of life, from conservation practices to energy, forestry, nutrition programs, and broader wellness and health. There are many ways to get involved, from on-farm tours to lobbying in DC to listening sessions. Now is the time to start talking about our priorities, including new opportunities for sustainable agriculture, possibilities for funding to revive the Civilian Conservation Corps, and other ways we hope to reimagine the farm bill. 

Link to slide deck

What is the Farm Bill? 

A big huge omnibus package that includes the country’s agricultural policy. The Farm Bill is reauthorized every 5 years. The work is led by the US House and Senate Agriculture committees. Much of the Farm Bill addresses food policy, including SNAP (food assistance) benefits. SNAP is 3/4ths of all Farm Bill spending. Natural infrastructure and conservation get a large amount of funding from the Farm Bill as well. So, the Farm Bill is a great opportunity for jobs, health and nutrition, and restoration. In 2018 we had success in getting more funding for natural infrastructure, including riparian buffers to filter agricultural runoff, through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). 

We will need to be adamant about getting a version of the CCC in this Farm Bill. It had been included in early versions of the Build Back Better and Inflation Reduction Acts, but was cut from the final versions. Advocates are talking to Sen. Casey again about this. Rep. Thompson is not opposed to the idea, but we will all need to work hard to make this happen.

Action Plan

1. Join ReImagine policy team meetings where we will check in regularly on the Farm Bill. 
2. Collectively develop ReImagine Appalachia Farm Bill platform 
3. Reach out to Rep. Thompson to share priorities 
4. Enable groups to talk with their own Congress person to share priorities and thoughts. 
5. Organize farm tours and listening sessions to demonstrate the real impact of Farm Bill dollars. Farmers make a compelling case. Speak to the bottom line of farmers.
   • Ex. PennFuture took Rep. Thompson trout fishing this past summer to clarify the connection between clean water, fishing and Farm Bill conservation practices. Drawing connections that aren’t always easy to see can be done through farm tours. Farmers as spokespeople for Farm Bill programs can get through the fog and make the case for investments in conservation.
   • New Senator Fetterman is a great prospect for tours and listening sessions to educate him on Farm Bill issues he may not be exposed to before.
6. Write op-eds; Example Farm bill op ed https://www.lancasterfarming.com/country-life/youth/young-people-want-to-farm-but-dont-have-the-land-opinion/article_d85e2f9a-3100-581d-8d12-9ddec9cc4a02.html 
7. Write a sign-on letter sharing principles and goals; encourage groups of citizens as well as farm and environmental groups to sign on. 
8. Hold Farm Bill session at Black Appalachian Coalition’s strategy summit (March).  
9. March 6-8 lobby day organized by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, NSAC is also putting together a climate action rally on March 7 – busy week in DC on the Farm Bill. Good time to get involved.

Description: The Black Appalachia Coalition (BLAC) is a separate coalition from ReImagine Appalachia, but we want to learn more about how we can support this essential and visionary work. Learn more about the Black Appalachian Coalition’s priorities. How can we ensure that Black Appalachians’ voices are included in the implementation of federal climate infrastructure investments and that Black communities benefit from these new programs. 

Takeaways: How do we ensure that Black Appalachians’ voices are included in the implementation of federal climate infrastructure investments and that Black communities benefit from these new programs?  Disinvestment in Black communities for so long has left these communities behind, wrestling with unique lived experiences. Existing disparities, lack of resources and information, leaves these communities less prepared to compete for the influx of federal funds. How do we heal and build at the same time? This is the essence of restorative justice. In the case of the federal climate infrastructure package, by the time Black communities are able to gear up, will it be too late? How do we move things simultaneously? How can ally organizations be helpful? 

1. Make the work more people centered. We know the analysis and problems, we need to identify how to come out of the problem. Think about access, for instance. In order to have access to something you have to enunciate Black people and Black issues, and have difficult conversations. 
2. Talk about race and racism and recognize its role in community disinvestments, tension with labor unions. We need to be intentional about anti-racism. Recognize that labor unions are viewed unfavorably by Black communities. We have to get down to the root cause and recognize the history of racism. Explore community agreements. 
3. Support Black storytelling. We need to counter national narratives about Appalachia just being white, low-income “hillbillies.” We need a symphony of voices. When Black and indigenous voices tell their stories it can help create movement in legislative situations. Black and brown who have experience with trauma and colonial systems have the most impactful stories, we need to be brought to the table to ensure these stories are told. Where Black and Indigenous people especially speak for ourselves, about our own experiences, movement happens in legislative situations. 
4. Black leadership is needed. Until work is led by Black leaders, we will continue to have a system that does not work for Black communities. 
5. Develop a set of community benefit principles that can be applied across infrastructure projects. Developing a set of principles that could be applied across projects could prove less burdensome in the long run than people having to weigh in on every single project under consideration. 
6. Identify consultants and experts specializing in promoting inclusivity and teaching existing organizations how to be in power with rather than having power over. People do not know how to apply for grants at the state and local level, let alone the federal level. So, how do we get the most impacted folks to the table? How do we get resources to devastated communities that need them most?   
7. Help develop BLAC Farm Bill platform. SNAP is in the farm bill. Recognize past racism from USDA. Story at summit workshop: Participant’s grandfather awarded a posthumous settlement from the USDA for being racist towards him in a way that prevented him from getting USDA grants to farm his own land. He was then pressured to lease his land to White farmers who now benefit from the resources he was denied.

Description: How can we help ensure that good, union jobs, racial justice, and high environmental standards are included when we discuss new opportunities for federal funding in the region? We’ll discuss resources for community visioning such as our ReImagine Your Community toolkit and the basics of community benefit principles and labor standards.

Takeaways:

Creating Community Vision and Action Plans 

How can we help ensure that good, union jobs, racial justice, and high environmental standards are a part of the conversation when we discuss new opportunities for federal funding? 

Promote community visioning, using existing tools and materials such as our ReImagine Your Community toolkit piloted by the RA Faith in Action Team. Community visioning is a bottom-up planning process, or long-term dreaming, that empowers and inspires people to apply their values towards creating a vision for the community and then turning that vision into action. It represents an opportunity for diverse community voices to come together, build trust, and create good jobs while also seeking racial justice and strong environmental and labor standards, the basics of community benefit principles. Once a vision is created, action steps may include advocacy and activism for sustainable economic development projects, passing ordinances, getting involved in zoning issues, among other things.

• Key question: what does health, well-being and happiness of the community look like, feel like and sound like 10 years from now? 
• Methods to approaching community members to get involved
• Make sure there is a diverse array of key stakeholders and voices in the room. Public input and diverse participation is key. Bring in different people from various sectors to plan. Interaction between diverse stakeholder groups is key.
• use maps of the local region to help figure out the assets of a county.
• Learn how to focus community members towards issues that need to be address 
• Be ready to adjust to the needs and concerns of the community 
• Identify creative and innovative solutions 
• Get answers

Integrate visioning, or bottom-up planning, into local community economic development efforts. Need to tap into existing processes—regional economic development plans, public processes like public meetings/community surveys, etc. Every community in the region will have economic dev plans. Find consultants to do a real community-based process – public meetings, community surveys – for visioning efforts while tapping into those existing processes. How can these ideas fit into the world we are hoping we can go to? Communities will then need help going after resources to achieve the vision of cleaner communities. Also need to ask who is not traditionally at the table and bring them in. Important to actually listen to people, and have the right people at the table for visioning efforts. What does successful community visioning look like to you? Having a diversity of voices at the table, representing different stakeholder groups, is key. Also, setting tangible goals and finding the resources to bring the vision to fruition are important.

Description: Registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs help support workers to build skills for family sustaining careers – and they pay them to learn!  Community benefit agreements often include set asides of project work hours for apprentices and pre-apprentices. What are they? Why does it matter? How do we get them?  

Takeaways: In education and workforce development circles, the value of apprenticeship is not well known or talked about. In the recent past, our schools and education system pushed people away from the trades and apprenticeship. Registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, however, will be essential for building the construction workforce of the future and making sure it is more diverse going forward. These programs help workers build skills for family sustaining careers – and they pay people while they learn!  So, what are they? Why do they matter? How do we get them?  How can we build towards a “universal” practice in the region? 

Do you have the workforce and does the workforce reflect the community it operates within?  With the large influx of federal funds, there will not be enough skilled trades people to staff the projects that are coming. Currently, we have an aging workforce in the trades – many are retiring or will be retiring soon and will need to be replaced. We also need to be sensitive to the 21st-century workforce, not the old workforce. Participation of women, Black workers and other people of color is important and will be needed. 

Apprenticeship and pre–apprenticeship programming can help make sure we have the workforce pipeline in place to staff current and coming construction projects. Community benefit/workforce agreements often include set asides of project work hours for apprentices and pre-apprentices. Federal funding guidance for climate infrastructure resources recognizes the important role these training programs can play and encourage their use. Three reasons apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship, is important – 

1. Building out the energy economy will require a scaling up of apprenticeship programs in order to provide a trained workforce. 
2. Ensure our future workforce is more diverse and has good-paying jobs.
3. Providing access to good-paying careers can be life-changing. 

The Department of Labor, in partnership with other federal agencies, is making “registered” apprenticeship a high priority. Federal policy guidance for federally-funded climate projects encourage the use of on-the-job training opportunities for registered apprentices. The Department of Labor invested $330 million in federal funds in supporting “registered” apprenticeship programs, including grants to states, competitive grants, support for pre-apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship, and apprenticeship hubs. This also includes infrastructure investments into  community organizations acting as intermediaries providing technical assistance to industries and communities

Description: Our work isn’t done till we have told the stories of our success. How do we elevate the stories of positive work in our region? What are the stories that need to be elevated? Help ReImagine Appalachia shape their 2023 Communications Strategy.

Takeaways:

Telling the stories of Appalachian Success 

Our work isn’t done till we have told the stories of our success. How do we elevate the stories of positive work in our region? What are the stories that need to be elevated? 

Our target audience: Policy makers at the federal, state and local level

How can ReImagine Appalachia provide greater support and/or opportunities for collaboration? 

1. Provide messaging document and shared talking points for the coalition. We had a messaging document for the blueprint. Should we do a new one for the action plan?  
2. Re-start bi-weekly communications meeting for benefit of ReImagine coalition partners? Enable partner access to Sequal’s help going forward with comms and comms amplification for partners. Sequal can help share stories and pitch if coalition partners ever need assistance. 
3. Host social media best practices workshop(s). Social media is often the best way to self-generate media. We all need to use social media. Use talking points. Do not assume your audience knows what you are talking about. Think about what your message is and use social media to get it out there. How can we help partners and older generations get up to speed on social media? Hire communications intern, communications staffer or consultant (like Sequal) who is comfortable with all platforms. Can work with local universities to find interns, post publicly, share post via email to network. Create a job description. Lots of grad programs require internships. Lots of people looking for opportunities and work. One-on-one junior/senior partnerships. Find young person who wants to partner with older people to help them share their stories. Create a system where someone reviews drafts before posting, let someone else do the posting.
4. Start ReImagine Appalachia Storytelling project 
   • Have professionals run storytelling workshops to help people get their stories out and feel validated. Be clear about the end goal. 
   • Try using music as a mode of storytelling. 
   • Youth art posters depicting stories. Host an art contest targeting youth?  Spur pride of place and develop place identity. Art is a great way to do this. Appalachian ethos of pride and hard work, tap into that. 
   • Successful storytelling recognizes that earned media is important to our work. To reach the broader public, commit to making 2 or three salient points. Emphasize first-person stories, this is what changes hearts and minds and helps people understand the issue from another perspective. Weave in accessible data into storytelling format  Examples of past Op-Ed pieces ReImagine Appalachia placed in 2022, with the piece from Rev. Brad Davis getting particularly good feedback:  
   • Telling stories without exploiting people’s personal experiences involves centering the voices of people who are impacted without speaking for them. Start by Interviewing people and then try to help translate a person’s experience into a written document for the broader public. Have the storyteller review. Something we never want to do is put words in anyone’s mouth—a lot of it comes back to the organization of the groups involved and their trusted relations with the community.

5. Adopt tangible communication tactics for Farm Bill: Include targeting for comms work in a geographical area where influenceable decision makers or legislators live.
   • Try to get an Op-Ed placed—be thoughtful about where you pitch a first-person story, maybe help this person tell their story if they’re willing. 
   • Think about whether there is a reporter who is focused on the environment and/or energy who could do a longform piece and interview her for a deep dive story. 
   • Also think about whether this person is connected to anyone doing lobby visits with legislators or letter writing campaigns to share story with legislators as well as in the public sphere.