In Eastern KY, a vision for sustainable manufacturing

by Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service

Manufacturers in Kentucky employ around 13% of the state's workforce, and advocates said the state's Appalachian region could bolster its economy by turning itself into a green manufacturing hub.

Dana Kuhnline, program director for ReImagine Appalachia, said manufacturing in the clean energy sector would create good jobs and help build local economies, as well as help curb climate change.

"What can we manufacture in Appalachia?" Kuhnline asked. "How can we reuse shuttered facilities, like closed steel facilities and shuttered coal plants? And what are sustainable products that Appalachia could become a hub for, that we could make in this region?"

At an upcoming virtual summit hosted by ReImagine Appalachia, being held Jan. 16-17, experts will break down how Appalachian communities can take advantage of federal funding opportunities related to climate infrastructure.

Kuhnline noted Congress has passed a number of bills in the last couple of years, paving the way for new investments in the region.

"There's a lot of new money for land remediation," Kuhnline pointed out. "Cleaning up old coal mines, cleaning up orphan oil and gas wells. There's going to be a whole funding stream set aside for improving environmental issues; that includes replacing lead pipes. There's also money for increasing the number of trees and urban improvement projects."

She added increased federal funding for natural infrastructure as a solution to soak up carbon, prevent flooding and repair damaged mine-lands provides an unprecedented opportunity to create new jobs for workers left behind, returning citizens, and communities hit hard by the opioid crisis.

Disclosure: Reimagine Appalachia contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Agriculture. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

Photo byAdobe Stock