FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2024
CONTACT:
John Neurohr, [email protected]
ReImagine Appalachia Director of Digital Communications Annie Regan made the following statement regarding President Biden’s request for an additional $8 billion for his American Climate Corps program to hire hundreds of thousands of workers for the New Deal-inspired jobs program to fight climate change:
“ReImagine Appalachia wholeheartedly supports President Biden’s budget request for $8 billion in additional funding for the American Climate Corps. This crucial investment aligns perfectly with our core beliefs and goals. We see it as a pivotal step towards providing our communities with jobs that not only benefit the environment but also offer viable career pathways for disadvantaged workers in the region.
“As he stated in his State of the Union President Biden’s American Climate Corp is, “…patterned after the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps… Climate Corps [will] put 20,000 young people to work at the forefront of our clean energy future. I’ll triple that number this decade.”
“Prioritizing the American Climate Corps program signals the Administration’s focus on the communities that have tirelessly powered our nation for generations, yet have often found themselves overlooked and left behind. Such an initiative communicates the administration’s commitment to rectify this imbalance. President Biden’s budget request for additional funding for the program represents a significant commitment to sustainable, equitable economic development.
“A program like the American Climate Corp is what reimagining Appalachia looks like: a genuine investment in a vibrant, thriving region, underpinned by sustainable development focused on both environmental and social justice. We firmly believe in the transformative potential of programs that combine environmental stewardship with equitable economic development, and look forward to seeing the positive changes that the American Climate Corps will undoubtedly bring.”
###