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Analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) finds that, not only it is possible to support coal workers in the shift to a low-carbon economy, but these comprehensive policies are affordable.
UCS and UWUA estimated the number of coal miners and coal-fired power plant workers at risk of losing jobs before reaching age 65 as the coal industry declines, and identified the number of US counties at risk due to their direct link to coal.
Comprehensive support for these workers would include five years of wage replacement, health coverage, continued employer contributions to retirement funds or pension plans, and tuition and job placement assistance.
How to Support our Energy Veterans Señor Codo/Creative Commons (Flickr)
How to Support our Energy Veterans
Jeremy Richardson, senior energy analyst | May 4, 2021, 6:00 am EDT
As climate advocates, we support the shift away from coal and toward cleaner forms of energy, pointing out the reasons that we need to accelerate that trend. While the move away from coal helps reduce heat trapping emissions and improves public health, the closure of coal mines and coal-fired power plants often leave economic upheaval in their wake.
Just take a look at Adams County, Ohio, which in 2018 faced the closure of two coal-fired power plants, by far the largest employer in the county. Community leaders faced a sharp drop in tax revenue, and individual workers suddenly had to figure out how to provide for their families while staying in the communities they called home. The people harmed by the upheaval are the very men and women e