The Bipartisan and Reconciliation bills are advancing!
Faith in Action Infrastructure Webinar
Thank you to all who joined us last week for our Faith in Action Infrastructure webinar! You can watch the recording here. ReImagine Appalachia is exploring how we can support the incredible work that faith leaders are doing in our region.
Please fill out this survey if you’d like to share insights you may have or be added to our outreach lists to receive updates about this growing work.
Over 50 Regional Groups Call for Congress to Invest in Appalachian Climate Infrastructure
Last week, a diverse array of 25 Ohio stakeholders, as well as 36 groups from Pennsylvania sent letters to their Congressional delegation to support a national climate infrastructure plan that prioritizes Appalachian needs. Congress can not pass up this once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our infrastructure, family-sustaining jobs, and a cleaner environment for future generations in the Appalachian region. Read more about the letters here.
We are still seeking sign ons for our West Virginia sign on letter – please fill out this form to your organization’s endorsement to that letter.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OUTREACH
We want to thank the tireless work of these officials who are demanding new solutions to old problems so families can stay put and enjoy peace and a good paycheck where they live. We know that creating clean energy while protecting our natural resources is the way of the 21st economy, and our future can be bright — if we all demand it together.
If you are new to talking to your local government, you can check out our toolkit to
engage your local council here!
Join us on September 9th to hear from some of over 100 local officials who have supported these efforts: This critical mass of support will be communicated directly to members of Congress and at our virtual press conference on Thursday, September 9 at noon.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:
Pennsylvanians: Join the leadership from ReImagine Appalachia, Keystone Research Center and PennFuture to get the latest updates on the campaign to pass an infrastructure bill that moves the Appalachian region into the future!
On Wednesday, September 1st at 4 p.m., we’ll update you on the latest content and activities from the campaign, including an update on the Pennsylvania Sign-On letter, and events featuring Pennsylvania elected officials.
Join the PA State Table Facebook group for updates!
Please join this Zoom webinar this Thursday at 2 p.m. featuring Phil Smith, Director of Government Affairs, United Mine Workers of America, Myya Helm, Summer Research Associate at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy (on video), and Stephen Herzenberg, Keystone Research Center economist and Co-Director of the ReImagine Appalachia campaign, and Hannah Halbert, Executive Director of Policy Matters Ohio.
As part of the Centennial commemoration of the Battle of Blair Mountain, this session will reflect on the lessons for today from the worker organizing across racial lines in West Virginia that helped sparked the U.S. industrial unionism and the New Deal in the 1930s.
MEDIA HITS
- The Indiana Gazette: Casey proposes reviving New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps
- Public News Service: Casey’s Civilian Conservation Corps could help fight climate change
- Charleston Gazette-Mail: WV advocates urge state leaders to capitalize on federal environmental justice push by embracing clean energy
- The Herald Dispatch: WV environmentalists urge Congress to pass climate priorities missing from bipartisan Senate infrastructure deal
- Energy News Network: Weight, dawn-to-dusk demands pose challenges to electrifying farm vehicles
- Charleston Gazette-Mail: Renate Pore: Imagining a different future for West Virginia
COALITION MEMBER OF THE MONTH:
Renate Pore
Renate Pore is the Outreach Director at ReImagine Appalachia. She has an educational background in macro-level social work and has worked with several non-profits including For Good PGH and Standing Firm, the business case to end partner violence. She has a background in domestic violence awareness and advocacy and is currently a Public Policy Consultant for Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Passionate about the environment and communities of the Appalachian region, she is eager to begin public policy and community engagement work in a new arena. Molly is graduating in December of 2021 from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master’s in Social Work, specializing in Community Organizing and Social Action. In her spare time, Molly enjoys spending time with her husband, especially outdoor activities, such as bird-watching, hiking, and kayaking.