Ben Cahill
Energy Security and Climate Change Program
The Biden administration, mindful that its climate policies could hasten the already steep decline of the coal industry, aims to revitalize coal-dependent communities. President Biden’s climate-focused executive order signed on January 27 established an interagency working group to support vulnerable communities.
The group’s first report highlights 25 energy communities that are potentially at risk and identifies $38 billion in available federal funding to invest in infrastructure, broadband, small businesses, and local financial institutions. Environmental remediation will be a priority, building on President Biden’s plan to invest up to $16 billion in plugging orphaned oil and gas wells and reclaiming abandoned mines. The Biden administration plans to hold a series of town hall discussions in these communities, in an important step toward engaging local voices to find solutions rooted in each region’s particular needs.