PENNSYLVANIA — On Friday, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) paid a visit to Youngwood in Westmoreland County. During his visit, he announced new federal initiatives aimed at bolstering economic revitalization and workforce development for Pennsylvania’s energy communities. One of the key initiatives is the establishment of a Rapid Response Team, specially designed to facilitate connections between local Pennsylvania stakeholders and federal resources, providing vital support to energy workers and communities. Senator Casey was joined by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and officials from the Biden Administration.
The Rapid Response Team is part of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG). The team will help Pennsylvania organizations, businesses, and local governments coordinate federal resources to position the Commonwealth as a leading figure in next-generation energy. The Energy Communities IWG aims to create good-paying union jobs, stimulate economic revitalization, rectify environmental degradation, and support energy workers in coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities nationwide.
In addition to the new initiative, Senator Casey announced 19 Appalachian Regional Commission POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) grants for high-speed internet expansion, workforce training, small business development, and other regional development purposes. He also highlighted $750,000 in philanthropic support for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Career Center based in Greene County.
Senator Casey emphasized the importance of these investments in his address, stating, “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. 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.”
This move aligns with Senator Casey’s consistent efforts to bring jobs, manufacturing, and investments back to Pennsylvania. In 2021, Casey worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which brought billions of dollars to Pennsylvania for clean energy infrastructure, improvements to roads and bridges, and the expansion of high-speed internet access, while creating good-paying jobs. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, also made significant investments in new energy manufacturing, including solar panels, wind turbines, and clean battery systems.
Last week, Senator Casey participated in the announcement of the launch of two hydrogen hubs, 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. These hubs promise to bring jobs, economic growth, and energy innovation to the Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachian Basin.
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