WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $30 million to support 35 projects in 15 states under the 2017 Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC 2017) initiative. The funding will assist locally-driven efforts to communities and regions severely impacted by the declining use of coal through activities and programs that support economic diversification, job creation, capital investment, workforce development and re-employment opportunities.
“From his first days in office, President Trump ended the Federal government’s assault on the coal industry and the communities who rely on it,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The previous administration fought this war through unilateral executive actions and regulatory edicts, and the casualties were American workers and families.”
The President’s work has had tangible effects for millions of Americans; for the first time in six years a new coal mine opened in the United States in June while thousands of jobs have been added in the coal sector since the start of 2017. The funding announced today is one facet of a continuing, government-wide effort to deliver a better deal for coal country.
The investments announced today include:
Arizona
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$154,016 to The Navajo Nation, Window Rock, to support the preparation of a commercial plan to mitigate the adverse effects of the closure of a coal-fired power plant in Page.
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$128,805 to the Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation, Kykotsmovi Village, to support the development of a business incubator program to mitigate the adverse effects of the pending closure of a coal mine in Kayenta.
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$104,265 to Navajo County, Holbrook, to support the preparation of an economic assessment and recovery strategy for a region impacted by the imminent closure of a coal mine in Holbrook.
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$137,000 to The Hopi Tribe, Kykotsmovi Village, to support the preparation of an economic diversification analytical study to assess economic opportunities in industry not dependent upon coal mining.
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$99,999 to Arizona State University, Tempe, to support the preparation of a plan to transition from energy production based upon coal to renewable energy in Page.
