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FEATURED MEDIA- THE WASHINGTON POST
Earlier this week, Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation’s Editorial Director and Publisher, published an opinion editorial in The Washington Post about how President Biden’s American Jobs Plan could help execute the ReImagine Appalachia blueprint.
An excerpt:
“The investments in Biden’s infrastructure proposal would provide vital funding to help translate the Reimagine Appalachia blueprint into concrete action. For instance, it contains $100 billion to retrain displaced workers and create millions of high-paying, unionized jobs in green energy. And it pledges 40 percent of its funding for climate and clean infrastructure toward disadvantaged communities such as those in West Virginia.
The Reimagine Appalachia coalition captured the urgency of this moment in throwing its support behind the president’s proposal: “Now is the time to put our ingenuity to use and imagine a 21st century economy that works for the people in the Ohio River Valley of Appalachia. Our kids and grandkids will thank us for it.” Lawmakers from the Mountain State — including powerful Sen. Joe Manchin III (D) —should recognize the president’s plan presents the only path forward for our nation — and champion its passage. The bill strikes a critical balance between providing much-needed support for those left behind by our modern economy, while simultaneously forging a more sustainable future.”
Make sure to share this article within your networks!
ACTION OF THE WEEK
ReImagine Appalachia is excited to partner with the Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI) on the release of a stunning set of new reports. These studies are the result of months-long research initiatives that have included dozens of stakeholders from across the country, and reveal massive environmental liabilities that the government isn’t tracking – as well as the enormous jobs potential of cleaning up these dangerous sites.
Please join us as we reveal how federal investments could create thousands of jobs while repairing the damage for our region.
Register for our press conference here.
Wednesday, April 14th. at 10 a.m.
This event will be a brief overview of the key findings of both papers.
Register for our webinars here.
This link will register you for both webinars – you can attend one or both.
- Orphan Wells Webinar: 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 14th. This event will be an in depth hour-long presentation into the research and recommendations for tracking and plugging orphaned oil and gas wells in the Ohio Valley Region.
- Abandoned Mine Lands Webinar: 1 p.m., Thursday, April 15th. This event will be an in depth, hour-long presentation into the research and recommendations for addressing the true scale of abandoned coal mines, improving the quality of reclamation and increasing the quality and quantity of jobs in this field.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, April 12th at 4 p.m.
You can register here for the virtual event here.
The panel will be moderated by Jim Lyon, Vice President, Conservation Policy,
National Wildlife Federation.
The panelists include:
Hannah Halbert, Executive Director, Policy Matters Ohio
Rick Bloomingdale, President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Rev. Marcia Dinkins, Executive Director, Ohio Interfaith Power & Light
Angie Rosser, Executive Director, West Virginia Rivers Coalition
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOLUTIONS
Over 60 people joined us for our inaugural webinar introducing our Local Government plan! We’re so excited to work with local electeds and local advocates to educate communities about the enormous potential for job growth if federal officials invest in our proposed Appalachian Climate Infrastructure Plan.
We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in our region through a major infrastructure package. Local governments are an essential voice for influencing our federal politicians; they know first hand how powerful these federal investments could be to grow our region’s economy and build a brighter future from the ground up.
To learn more, visit https://reimagineappalachia.org/local/ or fill out our form.
Our next meeting on this issue will be Wednesday, April 21st at noon. Please sign up here to attend this event, where we’ll hear from more folks who are engaging in this work and share more details about how groups can engage with their local government to advocate for national investments in our region.
MEDIA HITS
- Jacobin: To Save America, Help West Virginia
- Pittsburgh Business Times: Environmental groups hail Biden’s plan, but gas industry finds it lacking
- The Indiana Gazette:Regional promoter: Dems, GOP should work together for infrastructure
- PA Farm and Dairy:Biden’s infrastructure plan could fix America’s broadband problem
- The Allegheny Front: Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Takes on Climate Change to Create Jobs
COALITION MEMBER OF THE WEEK: ANNIE REGAN
Annie Regan currently serves as the Campaign Coordinator for the ReImagine Appalachia campaign. She is also the Senior Program Manager at PennFuture, where she works as the state lead for the Climate Action Campaign, a coalition of national climate, conservation, and progressive groups, state and local partners, and key allies working to protect clean air and promote action to limit climate change.
Annie previously worked as PennFuture’s Western PA Outreach Coordinator, working with the Breathe Project to reduce air pollution in the region. Her work involved community and coalition outreach around stormwater management, renewable energy, environmental enforcement, and sound environmental policy.
Prior to joining PennFuture, Annie was a policy intern for American Forests and the environmental legislative intern for the office of Senator Robert Casey, Jr.
She earned an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree from American University (AU), majoring in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government (CLEG) with a minor in Spanish.
Annie, a Pittsburgh native, enjoys hiking, reading, and embroidery in her spare time.