Keystone Today

The Appalachia region of Pennsylvania has been affected by the changing energy market, as the shift to clean energy continues to stray from coal. For that reason, $6.9 million is being put toward economic development projects that will help the coal communities.

Gov. Tom Wolf and Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Gayle Manchin joined to make the announcement, according to a release on October 17. These projects are through the ARC Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative.

“This $6.9 million is a critical investment for our communities with economies impact by a changing energy market,” Wolf said. “These nine projects will create jobs, diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, and improve quality of life for Pennsylvanians.” 

The POWER Initiative was put together to diversify the communities that were affected by the job losses in the coal industry. The grants are as follows:

• Asset Inc’s Partnerships to Advance Learning in STEM (PALS) Strategic Expansion Plan was awarded $48,661 for helping four regional teams develop action plans to implement a PALS tutoring system.
• Bedford County Development Association was awarded $50,000 for the Bedford County Site Feasibility Study which evaluates sites to determine the best location for a business park.
• Erie Area Council of Governments received $50,000 for the Erie County Broadband Feasibility Study
• Fayette County received $1.5 million for the Health Sciences Workforce Development Centers project, which involve the construction of a 6,000 square-foot training center at the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute for the enhancement of the Licensed Practical Nurse program.
• Penn State University received $750,087 for realizing automated and advanced manufacturing processes (RAAMP), which will help manufacturers modernize production and address the issue of skilled labor shortages
• Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation received $1,375,961 for the Tri-State Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative to help address the global climate issue and the region’s reliance on goal for economic reasons
• Saint Francis University received $1 million for an Aviation Workforce Training Center
• The Learning Lamp received $756,690 for the Child Care Works for the Southern Alleghenies project focused on increasing child care supply and getting people back to work in the coal impacted areas of west central Pennsylvania
• Venango County received $1,385,920 for the Erie to Pittsburgh Trails/PA Wilds Loop Construction. This is phase two of the trail and after two years there will be 15,840 linear feet of new trail built, which is expected to attract 6,300 new day visitors and 2,100 new overnight visitors.

“From healthcare to broadband expansion and workforce training, the projects receiving grants in this round of POWER funding show that the economic future of Pennsylvania’s coal-impacted communities is not only bright, but diverse,” Manchin said. “Projects like these are resulting in life-changing transformations in Pennsylvania, which in turn, lift our entire Appalachian region. I send my sincerest congratulations to all of the Keystone State’s grantees as they continue to make strides toward revitalizing our coal-impacted areas.”