On October 10, the federal Appalachian Regional Commission awarded two new grants totaling over $14.5 million to boost green energy manufacturing and workforce development through its Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) funding opportunity.

A $10 million ARISE grant to Catalyst Connection of Pittsburgh will help 1,000+ small to medium manufacturers expand or enter green technology and clean energy sectors in 156 counties across Appalachian Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. 

Funds will be used to provide training, technical assistance, supply chain mapping, and guidance on factory upgrades to support manufacturers of renewable energy, hydrogen power, low-carbon and decarbonized power, smart grid improvements, electric vehicles, and green buildings.

A $4.5+ million ARISE grant to Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission of Towanda, PA will prepare and train an estimated 3,400+ students and young adults in Pennsylvania and New York for jobs in emerging industries.

The project aims to engage employers with youth education providers to increase labor participation in Northern Appalachia.

The projects are funded through ARISE, ARC’s initiative to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multi-state collaborative projects across Appalachia.

Using funding through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ARC launched ARISE in August of 2022 to strengthen Appalachian business and industry, and to grow and support the development of new economic opportunities across multiple states.

A total of $227 million has been made available through ARISE to date.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

Visit the ARC’s ARISE webpage to learn more about the program and how to apply.

NewsClips - Energy/Climate:

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Isn’t Sold On RGGI Climate Program, His Working Group Isn’t Either - What’s Next?

-- York Daily Record Guest Essay: Gov. Shapiro, Let’s Hold The Fossil Fuel Industry Accountable Via RGGI - By Rev. Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network

-- The Derrick: $30 Million, 20 MW Solar Energy Facility To Break Ground In Clarion County Next Spring

-- Centre Daily Times Climate Watch: Make Community Solar Legal In Pennsylvania

-- Inside Climate News: A Reality Check About Solar Panel Waste And Effects On Human Health [Amount Is Tiny; Most Health Concerns Are Unfounded] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Converting To Clean Energy Depends On Electric Transmission Line Buildout

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PennDOT Releases Draft Map Of Priority Locations For Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

-- The Center Square: State Spending On Alternative Fuel Rebates Hists $15.7 Million

-- PennLive: Sheetz Receives PennDOT Grants To Expand Access To Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

-- Citizens Voice: Local Domino’s Deploying 10 Electric Vehicles To Deliver Pizzas

-- Penn State Hosts SPARK 2050 Energy Summit To Ignite Energy Transformation

-- Lehigh Valley News: PennEnvironment: PA Ranks 50th In US For Renewable Energy Growth

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Lagged In Renewable Energy Growth In Past Decade, But Trend May Be Reversing

-- PA Capital-Star: Report Shows PA Needs To Boost Renewable Energy Production, Lawmakers, Advocates Say

-- The Daily Item Letter: Fossil Fuels Have A History Of Being Unreliable

-- PJM Interconnection Files Changes To Capacity Market To Promote Reliability

-- PA Physicians For Social Responsibility: MarkWest Carpenter Natural Gas Compressor Station Natural Gas Leaks In Washington County [Video]

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Communities Marked For Federal Help To Address Climate Change

-- WESA: How A $9 Million Grant Will Boost Pittsburgh’s Urban Forest

-- Altoona Mirror Letter: America Must Rely On Renewable Energy, Nearly Every Species Of Plant, Insect, Fish, Wildlife Under Threat From Rapidly Warming Planet - By Ed Perry, Fmr US Fish & Wildlife Biologist

Related Articles - Energy/Climate:

-- EEN Action - Evangelical Environmental Network Will Deliver Over 51,000 Signatures To Gov. Shapiro In Support Of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative  [PaEN]

-- Re-Imagining A Christian Response To Changing Climate - Comments By Dr. Julia O’Brien, Lancaster Theological Seminary  [PaEN]

-- Impacto Media: Rich Negrin, Está Creando Un Ejército De Guerreros Ambientales  [DEP Secretary Rich Negrin Is Forming An Army Of Climate Warriors]  [PaEN]

-- Drexel University Environmental Collaboratory Oct. 26 Student-Focused Fireside Chat With DEP Secretary Rich Negrin  [PaEN]

-- House Committee Meets Oct. 16 On Cryptocurrency Mining Moratorium Bill; Resolution To Study Potential Of Geothermal Energy From Abandoned Mine Pools  [PaEN]

-- PA GreenGov Council Launches PA Climate Change Mitigation & Resilience Network  [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Applications For $16 Million In PA Grid Resilience Funding; Nov. 1 Deadline  [PaEN]

-- Appalachian Regional Commission Awards $14.5 Million In Grants To Pittsburgh, Towanda Groups To Grow Green Manufacturing  [PaEN]

-- PA Solar Center: Oct. 20 Webinar On Solar Guidebook For PA Landowners - Leasing Property For Large-Scale Solar Development  [PaEN]

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Religion & Environment Webinar Series: Nov. 1 - A Jewish Approach To Activism & Accompaniment Thru The Climate Crisis  [PaEN]

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light, Jewish Earth Alliance Host Oct. 18 Webinar On Democracy, Voting & Climate Solutions  [PaEN]

-- Manada Conservancy Hosts Nov. 2 In-Person Presentation On A Path Forward - Local Climate Action In Hershey  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Blog: Forests Help With Climate Change

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Still Fighting To Make Road Dumping Its Wastewater Legal; DEP Introduces Concepts Of A ‘Life Insurance Policy’ For Plugging Wells; Certified 3rd Party Inspectors  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 7 to 13 - More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Spills; Venting Gas; Emergency Well Plugging  [PaEN]

[Posted: October 11, 2023]

10/16/2023