With the right federal resources, the Ohio River Valley of Appalachia, better known as coal country, can become a leader in the new clean economy and a manufacturing hub for the clean economy products of the future. The dangers of climate change and international concern over its dire impacts are already fueling global competition in clean energy markets, products, and technologies.
Appalachia is well-positioned for new economic development in these markets due to several existing assets and resources:
Shuttered coal plants that can be transformed into eco-industrial parks;
A central location to large consumer markets;
Easy access to more carbon-friendly freight rail and waterway transportation networks;
Long history of manufacturing in relevant product markets (i.e. steel, automotive industry, plastics); Highly skilled manufacturing and trades workers; and lastly, for the purposes of this report,
Significant levels of waste residues from the mining and burning of coal that contain reusable minerals and materials of value to the clean economy.
This is the second in a series of reports that will explore the following questions:
What are the clean economy markets of the future for which Appalachia can realistically become a hub?
How do we ensure these emerging markets benefit workers and the community rather than extract wealth and leave pollution and poverty in their wake, like the old industries?
How do we get from where we are to where we need to go to build out community- and worker-centered supply chains for the new clean economy and transform Appalachia into a hub for sustainable manufacturing?
