U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) announced Friday new federal initiatives would support economic and workforce growth for Pennsylvania energy communities.
Joined by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Elizabeth Granholm, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Casey announced the Rapid Response Team – an initiative that would allow Pennsylvania energy communities to access federal resources to train workers and invest in the energy economy. The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) Rapid Response Team will help Pennsylvania organizations, businesses and local governments coordinate the federal resources they need as part of a whole-of-government approach to moving forward toward a new energy future.
“Pennsylvania energy communities have a storied tradition of powering our Nation since the Industrial Revolution. That’s what makes them uniquely qualified for new energy jobs,” Casey said. “These investments, along with my energy communities tax credit and Pennsylvania’s new hydrogen hubs, will help the Commonwealth take control of our future and become the energy powerhouse we know we can be.”
As an example, Casey announced 19 Appalachian Regional Commission Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grants for high-speed internet expansion, workforce training, small business development and other regional development purposes.
Casey’s announcement comes as the DOE announced last week that two hydrogen hubs, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, would be located in Pennsylvania – the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) based in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. Hydrogen hubs will invest in creating hydrogen as a fuel and bring jobs and economic growth to the seven projects awarded grants by the DOE. The hubs will share $7 billion in federal funding.