June 8th, 2009 by admin
~ THIS IS A TEMPORARY SITE ~
we will launch our new website on January 1st
Leading scientists from around the world recommend several measures to address the issue of climate change. In the United States, there is a push towards legislation that will create a regulatory market for industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and action is underway to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure. Additionally, a federally mandated renewable energy portfolio standard would require each state to diversify energy production and increase renewable energy capacity.
These pending measures to mitigate carbon production coupled by the EPA’s recent decision to hold and review 79 permits for mountaintop removal mining casts a shadow over the primary jobs provider throughout the Central Appalachian region: the coal industry. Local governments are wholly reliant on the severance taxes generated by coal extraction, yet minable coal will be affected by both of these federal decisions. In sum, the communities that will suffer the most from current and pending environmental policies are those which are solely dependent upon the coal industry for their survival. Thus our project seeks a just transition for Central Appalachia, one that recognizes the sacrifices that have been made by those who have mined coal for our country for the past 150 years.
It is clear that more diverse economic pathways must be cultivated to mitigate the future impacts upon the rural economies whose primary means of subsistence is expected to decline. Several factors, including climate legislation, local tax structures, rural topography, and the limited supply of coal in the region, will affect strategic planning for a new energy future in Appalachia.
The JOBS Project is actively pursuing sustainable development as a viable model for the Central Appalachian communities that will bear the burden of carbon related policies. Our project’s primary concern is economic development that considers the social and ecological effects of development models employed. This website is a collaborative project which will provide an overview of our strategic energy plan for the coalfield region of Central Appalachia.
