Along with Secretary of Energy Granholm and Governor Shapiro, Casey is hosting an event in Westmoreland County to announce new federal resources to spur the growth of Pennsylvania's energy communities.
The Rapid Response Team will help connect and coordinate local PA stakeholders with federal resources to support energy workers and communities.
In addition to the announcement, Casey hosted panels for hundreds of Pennsylvania stakeholders to learn how to best compete for federal funding opportunities.
Casey too Announced 19 Appalachian Regional Commission grants for job training and small business development in Appalachia, a summary of the types of economic opportunities that will be available to PA energy communities
Ads consistent with Casey's speech about the future of American workers and the economy; follow others big investments in regional economy
Casey: โThese investmentsโฆ will help the Commonwealth take control of our future and become the energy powerhouse we know we can beโ
Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced new federal initiatives to support economic revitalization and workforce development for Pennsylvania communities and energy workers. With the announcement of a Rapid Response Team, Pennsylvania energy communities will be able to more easily access federal resources to train workers and invest in an energy economy of the future. The announcement was followed by Administration panels and state officials on how Pennsylvania's local communities can better compete for federal investments. Senator Casey was joined by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Biden administration officials to promote the Rapid Response Team announcement.
As an example of the types of investments Pennsylvania communities are eligible for, Casey Announced 19 Appalachian Regional Commission POWER (Partnerships for Economic and Workforce Opportunity and Revitalization) grants for high-speed Internet expansion, workforce training, small business development, and other regional development purposes . Also highlighted was $750,000 in philanthropic support, which Senator Casey advocated for, for the Greene County-based United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Career Center.
โPennsylvania's energy communities have a long tradition of powering our nation since the Industrial Revolution. โThatโs what makes them uniquely qualified for new energy jobs.โ said Senator Casey. โThese investments, along with my energy community tax credit and Pennsylvaniaโs new hydrogen centers will help the Commonwealth take control of our future and become the energy powerhouse we know we can be.โ
The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) The Rapid Response Team will help Pennsylvania organizations, businesses and local governments coordinate the federal resources they need to position the Commonwealth as a national leader in next-generation energy. The IWG on Energy Communities is taking a whole-of-government approach to create good-paying union jobs, spur economic revitalization, remedy environmental degradation, and support energy workers in the coal, oil and gas, and plant communities. of energy throughout the country.
Senator Casey has consistently fought to return jobs, manufacturing, and investment to Pennsylvania. In 2021, Casey worked to get through he Employment and Infrastructure Investment Law bringing billions of dollars to Pennsylvania to build clean energy infrastructure, improve roads and bridges, expand high-speed Internet access and more, all while creating good-paying jobs. Approved in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Law It also made significant investments in new energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines and clean battery systems. Casey fought to include strict domestic content standards to ensure projects use 100% American-made steel and iron.
In June, Senator Casey delivered a stirring speech to union workers and business leaders in Pittsburgh to outline his vision for the United States to take control of its economic future by investing in American workers and manufacturing, as well as preventing investments in national security sectors from going to countries of interest. including China. In July, the Senate overwhelmingly approved Senator Casey's legislation to examine those investments by 91 votes in favor and 6 against. Building on Casey's efforts, the Biden administration issued an executive order addressing the issue weeks later.
Last week, Casey announced the launch of two hydrogen centers, funded by the Employment and Infrastructure Investment Law: he Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Center (MACH2)based in southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Center (ARCH2) Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. These centers will bring jobs, economic growth and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and Appalachian Basin.
