ReImagine Appalachia’s Second Annual Shuttered Coal Plant Summit aimed to explore the opportunities for redeveloping the shuttered coal plant sites located throughout the Appalachian region. Throughout the summit, the importance of including labor and seeking community input were underscored as a means of creating good jobs and rooting the prosperity generated by redevelopment within local communities. Though redeveloping brownfields present a number of challenges, Appalachia’s shuttered coal plants also offer valuable assets that could support the future of sustainable manufacturing in the region.
Plenary 1: ReImagining the Shuttered Coal Plant: What comes next?
The summit kicked off with a plenary session moderated by Joanne Kilgour, Executive Director at the Ohio River Valley Institute. Joanne opened the event with an overview of coal plant closure in the region and the associated loss of jobs. While there are exciting new development opportunities for these sites, it is also important to acknowledge the grief, anger, and hardship communities have faced in the wake of coal plant closures. By acknowledging the shortcomings of the past, the devastation of job loss, the lack of transparency and the absence of adequate transition support, we can aim to do better now and redevelop these sites in a way that captures the highest and best use as outlined by and for surrounding communities.
Adam Walters, Senior Energy Advisor at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, then spoke about how exactly shuttered coal plant sites can be an asset to communities as well as a means of achieving decarbonization goals moving forward. Adam introduced the Coal-Fired Power Plant Redevelopment Playbooks which were written by the PADCED over the past few years to explore the development opportunities at six shuttered sites around Pennsylvania. These playbooks are an invaluable resource to other groups looking to understand the ins and outs of site redevelopment from the initial site assessment phases and planning through remediation. The Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES) is another resource Adam shared with the group. This program provides loan funding for site readiness and redevelopment that helps businesses expand within the state.
Alongside understanding the challenges and assets presented by every unique shuttered coal plant site, Jim Harrison, Director of Renewable Energies for the Utility Workers Union of America, explained why it is also important to involve labor from an early stage in the redevelopment process. Drawing from his experience working in three coal-fired power plants, Jim urged communities facing plant closures to proactively plan for economic impacts and to support coal plant workers to put their transferable skill sets to new uses. He noted that the best redevelopment options might not always involve public use or renewable energy; instead, clean manufacturing facilities could deliver significant economic benefits. Initiatives like the IWG can provide resources and guide next steps, while workforce development initiatives can include labor as a strong partner. Jim recommends connecting with the state’s federation of labor to help coordinate efforts among communities, government, and businesses. Ultimately, the community should play a central role in determining the best use of these sites, leveraging existing utility connections while maintaining the final say in their future.
The panel concluded with insights from Director of Integrated Carbon Management in the Office of Fossil Energy at the US Department of Energy, Bhima Sastri, who covered the national government’s approach to supporting development within Appalachia. Bhima made the point that there is currently an abundance of rather underutilized resources available. A few of these fossil asset reinvestment programs include the Inflation Reduction Act which provides targeted investments to energy communities, the Pacific National Laboratory’s technical assistance to help redevelop shuttered coal plant sites, and a number of opportunities offered by the Loan Program Office which sunset in 2026. To learn more about support for redevelopment projects at all phases from site readiness and planning to basic infrastructure, workforce development and economic development, visit the Interagency Working Group’s website.
Discussion following the panelists’ presentations centered around potential visions for future shuttered coal plant redevelopments. While shuttered coal plant sites can sometimes be located at a distance from major highways, they often offer many other valuable assets such as rail and barge transportation access, sources of water, existing grid connection, industrial zoning, and access to a skilled workforce. With their knowledge of complex system management under high voltage and pressure, former coal plant workers’ skill sets were highlighted as highly adaptable to a manufacturing context and a major asset to industry in the region. In order to get started on the type of developments that grow business and support local workers and their communities, a crucial first step is to open a dialogue between community members, workers, site owners, utilities, local government, and other stakeholders, so everyone can work together to ensure shuttered coal plant site redevelopment is truly high value to all.
Breakout Session 1
Following the full-group plenary, participants were invited to join breakout group discussions on topics ranging from accessing federal funding opportunities and workforce coordination to redevelopment options and eco-industrial park models. Read more about each session below.
Option 1: Finding Federal Funding to Redevelop Your Shuttered Coal Plant
What are the stages of redeveloping a coal plant, and what funding might help with those individual stages? How can we empower our region to gain more access to these funds?
Takeaways:
– Every site is distinct, there’s no universal prescriptive approach
– When ‘picking up the phone’…
– Know your energy asset, call DOI and/or your local EDO
– Local Development Districts (LDDs)
– Who is seeking funding also influences where they turn to:
– Communities are able to receive grants from agencies
– Enterprises apply for loans
– IWG is a resource that is responsive and can help direct communities.
– Visit Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to access fact sheets, a map tool and publications on “Coal-to-X” redevelopment
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o3SdOiDv8gGxJiBUKEKX-0Ns2_eLN7rpmaeNfUEGYZE/edit?usp=sharing
Option 2: Transforming Shuttered Coal Plants into Eco-Manufacturing Hubs
As we look to reimagine these sites, advocates need to consider a site’s “highest and best use” and look for climate friendly and sustainable development opportunities. Shuttered coal plants have enormous potential to be hubs for manufacturing in the region, as well as leaders for innovative projects that include considerations of labor as well as environmental, community and overall productivity.
Takeaways:
– Electric infrastructure and interconnection are pre-existing assets that can be utilized in shuttered coal plant redevelopment (especially as electrical load requirements increase), and industrial waste heat is a resource that needs to be utilized during future manufacturing
– Successful eco-industrial redevelopments will provide new jobs and seek community impact to reduce the potential for greenwashing
– The example of the eco-industrial park project in Struthers, Ohio shows that funding is often there, private investment often there, but park ownership can cause stalemates
– Municipality-owned property can be easiest to deal with as opposed to privately-owned
– Co-ops share qualities with eco-industrial parks like collaboration, trust, and a growth mindset
– The circular economy presents an opportunity to think about strengthening community
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12YkgbOpWOwn7SnbstbfAbtiHHLIckC2sCk7jobgWjA0/edit?usp=sharing
Option 3: Case Studies: Community Approaches to Shuttered Coal Plants
As Mark Twain said, “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” Every community faces different challenges and opportunities. In this breakout, participants examined several case studies to explore how communities approached shuttered coal plants and worked to create a path to what comes next.
Takeaways:
– Centralia in Washington State is a great example of a shuttered coal plant that was both reimagined and works to sustain and help the community long term. For more information on Centralia, click here.
– In response to declines in the supply chain, industry areas, and power plant closures, there has been work exploring workforce retraining and infrastructure investment opportunities. The goal is to drive economic shifts across the entire region.
– The main question is: How do we collaborate with organizations who may have differing goals and objectives AND still hold true to the community goals and the plan the community wants? How do we collaborate when we don’t agree?
– Communities in Minnesota who were impacted by power plant closures got together and went to the state legislature and asked for an office/leadership to help with the needs of the community. This led to a community engagement plan, $5 million in grants, and strong collaborations with companies to retain workers.
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PG8BM-xUq5rNW6OzGbxsww8xj5PdLuntxRauf9HbqLM/edit
Option 4: Coordinating for Workers Facing Energy Transition at the State and National Level
As we face the closing of coal plants across Appalachia and the rest of the country, we must improve coordination at the state and national level. This breakout session discussed regional and national efforts to support energy transition communities, what we have learned from those, and what’s next.
Takeaways:
– The example of Colorado and Michigan’s Just Transition Offices offer tips for navigating coal plant closures
– Establishing the timeline for closure is very useful in the planning process
– Planning should happen before, during and after closure
– There are other ways to gather resources and drive conversations about change without an official government office
– Uniting a diverse range of stakeholders, gathering information and starting to engage in local community work can help enact change
– There are preferential hiring policies in some states to support former coal plant workers, and preferential hiring can also be negotiated as part of community benefit plans
– There are ways to get more advance notice of closure
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJz0HeQpWStRL9woHa5Jb4QBb8PEuIHRVNpU–1q-qg/edit?usp=sharing
Option 5: Identifying Local Assets through Clean Energy Supply Chain Analysis
There is not a one size fits all approach to economic development. When visioning for what comes next, it is important to understand the local economy, the regional supply chain, transmission siting, and other factors. This session explored several new tools to help communities and developers explore strengths and assets, including the Clean Growth Tool, the Clean Energy Supply Chain Analysis, and the IWG Site Review Tool.
Takeaways:
– There are a variety of tools available to identify and explore industry opportunities by region
– Appalachia has been identified as a region with particular strengths and competitive advantages in a range of manufacturing sectors
– The tools are being updated to include:
– more granular data, such as county-level information
– Closer attention to multi-modal transportation and material flow is coming
– More accessibility to data sets
– The tools should spark further discussion and serve as foundations for deeper analysis, stakeholder engagement, and work to address barriers to clean energy transition on the ground
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YA98j4BVs_KVzKKRNKXmDnLQy8yNp87Z7etQ9L_RD8E/edit?usp=sharing
Plenary 2 Step by Step: Moving from Shuttered Coal Plant to Final Project
Natalia Rudiak, Director of Special Projects at ReImagine Appalachia, opened the second full-group plenary with a statement that captures the feeling of opportunity present throughout the summit: shuttered coal plant communities have the workforce of the future! In order to build upon the strength of Appalachia’s workforce, the organized labor sector must be included in the discussions from which they have historically been excluded. Throughout this time of transition, strong labor standards will serve as the foundation for sustainable wealth creation in the region as new jobs brought by redevelopment hopefully create lifelong careers of dignity and respect for the local workforce.
Deputy Director of the Center for the New Energy Economy, Suzanne Tegen similarly affirmed the importance of community input, citing community disapproval as a primary cause for canceled wind and solar projects. By involving the public from the start, the community will be able to make their opinions heard and process the change so that they are more likely to accept the redevelopment that does occur. A key way of involving the public is through Community Benefits, which Suzanne outlined as a formal agreement, which may include terms such as how money will be allocated, the development timeline, and long-term accountability check ins. (For more info, look at NREL’s website). Suzanne shared a few examples of the role community benefits agreements played in redevelopment projects in Craig, CO and Lansing, MI where the community chose to retain the original historic and culturally-significant building associated with the former coal power plant. Aside from maintaining local coal-era landmarks, successful redevelopment projects can build back the local tax base and replace the jobs lost through closures. From her experience overseeing community benefit agreements, Suzanne suggested holding regular meetings for the community at which the people who ‘usually have the mic’ are not present so that everyone feels comfortable and has the space to speak. A completed community benefit agreement is an accomplishment that should be celebrated with the community, and Suzanne recommends doing exactly that when the time comes!
Next, Jesse Roush, Executive Director at the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority spoke about the Muskingum River Industrial Park, a former coal plant site, which was acquired and redeveloped by the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority. This coal plant was closed without anything like the plans so many of the speakers on the plenaries have recommended. As such, the site sat vacant and four hundred employees lost their jobs. The SE Port Authority stepped up and began to make plans for redevelopment. Throughout the planning process, Jesse shared that the main point of discussion centered around how much risk the SE Port Authority and other stakeholders should take on to acquire the shuttered coal plant site. In the end, the SE Port Authority was able to acquire the land because they had early community support even with the inherent risks that come with taking on a brownfield site. Now, the SE Port Authority is in the position to take over a second shuttered coal plant site and launch the Washington County Multimodal Port Project. In this project, the SE Port Authority will aim to reconnect both shuttered coal plant sites via rail that has fallen into disrepair, and also to connect the sites to the riverfront in order to create a multi-modal port. Jesse attributed the SE Port Authority’s success with their prioritization of local workforce and labor and their commitment to generating community conversation, which they hope to continue in the years to come.
Finally, Wendy Patton, Research Fellow at ReImagine Appalachia, and Rike Rothenstein, Senior Research Associate at ReImagine Appalachia, spoke about the release of ReImagine Appalachia’s Handbook on Redeveloping Shuttered Coal Plants. Wendy walked us through this extensive resource, showcasing the information available throughout the Handbook’s six chapters. Viewers can engage with this tool by reading information on various stages of the redevelopment process and by following links to additional resources and videos. While the shuttered coal plant redevelopment process often tends to be secretive due to its high stakes, the Handbook aims to dispel confusion and reveal the many ways in which communities can access the knowledge and technical and financial resources to join in on the redevelopment process. Rike then elaborate on the federal and state resources that are provided in Chapter 6 of the Handbook. With an overview of funding (from grants to loans to tax credits) as well as funding trackers, and information on key programs such as The Inflation Reduction Act and the EPA’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Program, the goal of this chapter is to match communities with the resources they need to turn their shuttered coal plant sites into new opportunities. Rike echoed others in urging communities and developers to take advantage of this funding while it is available!
Breakout Session 2
The summit concluded with a second round of breakout sessions. See below for more details on the conversations held around engaging the community, acknowledging grief, the remediation process and more.
Option 1: Engaging the Community in Visioning and Planning for New Opportunities
This breakout discussed how we can make sure the community stakeholders have a voice in the redevelopment process. The basics of community benefits as well as key aspects to consider when engaging the local community in economic development were presented.
Takeaways:
– Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) are legally binding agreements between communities and developers, while Community Benefit Plans (CBPs) are plans that may or may not involve the community, often used to access DOE funds.
– Successful community projects often start with visioning sessions to build trust among diverse stakeholders. Involving trusted community members (e.g., faith leaders or farmers) is very important, especially in rural areas where relationships and historical tensions can play a significant role.
– The current policy environment is making room for community involvement, and success may lie in identifying leverage points early, engaging with diverse stakeholders, and ensuring that developers lead with inclusivity.
– One of the problems with community involvement is the time investment required, especially in rural communities. People may not want to put in the visioning work if they don’t know the project will actually be implemented
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19W_1_GEq3YVuFs8nt6po-khZ9gzvY7HFrszLzzkfWP8/edit?usp=sharing
Option 2: Community Focused Funding and Technical Assistance
– This session discussed various technical assistance and capacity building programs as well as programs that, in general, offer good potential to funnel resources into energy communities for broader economic development and infrastructure needs.
Takeaways:
– Communities and nonprofits (or any other entity) that want to apply for federal funding and technical assistance need to check that they are registered on SAM.gov or check that their SAM.gov registration is up to date. It takes about 3 months to receive a SAM.gov number.
– There are a number of resources available to help communities:
– There are upcoming application openings at The Green Bank for Rural America, whose goal is to diversify economic development and to uplift communities, especially in rural America. This includes funds to serve the states hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.
– Bridgeway Capital and their Entrepreneurship Hub offers business guidance, free consulting services, educational workshops, cohort-based accelerator programs, and networking events
– The EJ Thriving Communities Grantmaker Program helps organizations to apply for funding for all federal departments and agencies (not just for EPA funding)
– The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) will start to award subgrants to eligible applicants affected by environmental and health issues
– Communities and nonprofits (or any other entity) that want to apply for federal funding and technical assistance need to check that they are registered on SAM.gov or check that their SAM.gov registration is up to date. It takes about 3 months to receive a SAM.gov number.
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w5XTL4oDYpeObVNrbS0VzsTcS–dMzWR0uLsli1B9a0/edit?usp=sharing
Option 3: Remediation and the Shuttered Coal Plant
What are the environmental remediation concerns for reimagining the shuttered coal plant? This session included discussion of coal ash and “beneficial reuse” of coal ash, as well as timing considerations for the evaluation and remediation of sites.
Takeaways:
– Shuttered coal power plants are similar to many other brownfield sites in that they contain some common contaminants including some heavy metals, petroleum, asbestos, PCBs
– These sites can be remediated and risks can be overcome!
– Remediation requirements are based on the contaminants present and the intended purpose rather than a full restoration back to 100% pristine condition
– The Clean Water Act and CERCLA /Superfund statutes should be considered
– To understand the risk associated with shuttered coal plant sites:
– Legal due diligence, including an engineering phase 1 environmental assessment can inform purchasing decisions
– “Comfort letters” can be acquired from agencies to provide some level of assurance that you will not be pursued for cleanup if you redevelop a site.
– Environmental liability transfers from owner to new buyer are currently rare, more often the seller retains environmental liability
Brownfield Assistance Centers (or other technical assistance providers) can provide one-on-one assistance regarding brownfield projects. These services are free. EPA also provides technical assistance that is free.
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pRrRiRDRwk1Nog3Rj79XOtFh2lfpqxKfdmA4FpM40KI/edit?usp=sharing
Option 4: Site Development Considerations
Jesse Roush, Executive Director at the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority led a breakout informed by his past and current experience with developing coal plant sites in Southeastern Ohio, focusing on challenges and community engagement. In order to understand the considerations for addressing an old industrial site, aspects such as appraisal, title, underground infrastructure, and insurance considerations/legal considerations were discussed.
Takeaways:
– From private sector side, the biggest site selection advantages associated with legacy steel and coal facilities are:
– Vicinity to water, barge access
– Rail and barge access (use it or lose it infrastructure)
– Legacy power infrastructure for distribution into grid
– Workforce
– Benefits of public ownership of legacy sites:
– Isolate risk on behalf of community
– Good conduit for resources, money and support
– Some protection and relief from liability if adequate due diligence is performed
– “Value is in the eye of the visionary” – Jesse Roush
– Appraisal will be dependent on buyer’s/developer’s vision
– Shuttered coal plant site redevelopment provides opportunity for new energy production methods/technologies
– There is a lot of interest in these sites by data centers, EV battery manufacturers (and their supply chain partners), reshoring manufacturers, and international businesses (some want to access US natural gas)
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_lIEYqla7cgNI2MDp4AcJPfsxrLARPJRouw23wW4XS0/edit?usp=sharing
Option 5: Looking Back, Moving Forward: Grief, coal plants and culture
Before you work on the car, you have to raise the hood. What are the key steps of listening and engaging with the community that can be forgotten? This session raised the idea that failing to acknowledge or engage in the grief and trauma after the loss of major economic and community drivers undermines our work and our communities efforts to build a brighter future.
Takeaways:
When communities go through the fallout from coal plant closures, there are often feelings of:
– Grief and loss,
– Anger, grievance, blame
– Lack of agency and control
– Anxiety, insecurity, whiplash
– Loneliness, abandonment, isolation
– Shame and indignity
– Online memorials through social media groups and artistic projects within the community can offer the communities safe ways of processing their feelings
– Asking folks about what they are proud of is another way of healing, as it gets them thinking about the resilience they may have
– There’s a delicate balance between holding space for grief and difficulty, while also being curious about the future
View the full agenda and notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1po9R-Lu9tq8gv0c6QnoQce56NVloHgC0MqEg9JTdwvo/edit
