Author: The Hil Voice

Coal’s long slide has reshaped the Appalachia economy. In response, community leaders and tribal advocates are building a national “just transition” plan to grow new jobs, restore land, and strengthen local capacity, according to Appalachian Voices and the Just Transition Fund. A study of counties in the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) region finds only four counties have fully moved beyond coal while sustaining growth. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, national coal jobs fell from 91,611 in 2011 to 53,583 in 2018. While Appalachia was hit hard, coal closures also affected parts of the Midwest and the Navajo Nation,…

A White House budget proposal released in May calls for a 93% cut to the Appalachian Regional Commission, from about $200 million to $14 million. Nonprofits, local officials, and business groups across the region are urging Congress to reject the plan, warning it would gut grants that support jobs, infrastructure, and addiction recovery. Key Kentucky lawmakers say they intend to protect the commission’s funding. The ARC is a federal–state partnership serving parts of 13 Appalachian states. Since 1965, it has backed projects in broadband, workforce training, small business, and public health. According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, more than 80 elected…