Washington, D.C. — 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.”

Funding Part of Obama Administration’s POWER Initiative

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the availability of $65.8 million through the Obama Administration’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative  to develop new strategies for economic growth and worker advancement for communities that have historically relied on the coal economy for economic stability.  With this announcement, communities and regions that have been negatively impacted by changes in the coal economy -- including mining, coal fired power plants and related transportation, logistics and manufacturing supply chains -- can apply for resources to help strengthen their economies and workforces. 

Beginning this week, EIA is expanding its reporting of monthly natural gas production by 10 additional states. The addition of these states—Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, and West Virginia—significantly enhances EIA's monthly coverage, which was previously limited to Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, and the federal Gulf of Mexico. Accompanying EIA's expanded coverage is a new webpage, Monthly Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production, which replaces the Monthly Natural Gas Gross Production Report.