NOSLandscape of excavated mines in West Virginia
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 20:19
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Sarah Bronkhorst
Editor Bureau Washington
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Sarah Bronkhorst
Editor Bureau Washington
In West Virginia they call them the ‘black diamonds’ and for good reason. For a century and a half, the coal industry was the economic engine of the American state. Now that reputation is rapidly changing due to green investments from the Biden administration. The hundreds of billions of dollars the government is investing are transforming the mining state into a hotbed of green initiatives.
Huntington, a city on the border of Kentucky and West Virginia, is a typical example of what the Biden administration calls an energy community. This town has traditionally been dependent on the jobs created by the coal industry. Not only in the mines, but also all the employment surrounding them. From the truck drivers, to the train drivers and all the small businesses where the miners and their families did their shopping.
Investing in green energy
Towns like Huntington were hit hard when most of the coal mines closed due to the decreased demand for fossil fuels in recent decades.
But energy production remains part of the pride of West Virginians, and the administration sees that as an advantage in its mission to revitalize the region. Instead of reopening the coal mines, as Trump promised to do but never did, the Biden administration is investing historic dollars to encourage green energy production in the region. For example, tax benefits encourage solar panel companies to establish themselves in the region and their customers receive subsidies if they choose clean energy.
Green companies
Jacob Hannah is one such green entrepreneur in Huntington. He bought a shed next to the track where the wagons of the coal trains used to be built. Jacob is establishing his company Coalfield Development here, one of the many green companies financially supported by Biden’s climate investments. His company trains former miners to work in green energy: for example, they learn to install solar panels on a practice roof of his company.
Jacob himself comes from a mining family and realized early on that life in the mines would not return. “This entire community revolved around coal. Every job depended on the mines, so when they closed, the garment makers and truck drivers lost their jobs too. We want to train these people for a sustainable job market.”
NOSJacob Hannah, green entrepreneur in Huntington, West Virginia
The transition to sustainable energy is still taking some getting used to for proud West Virginians. Luke, an employee of Coalfield Development, was initially skeptical about the green transition. “There is a great fear of change in this region. But because the green sector is creating so many jobs right now, people can’t ignore it anymore. We can’t keep blowing up our mountains for coal.”
The effect of those inflated mountains can be seen deeper inland. The excavated mines have caused land degradation, causing the natural ecosystem to deteriorate significantly. Agricultural entrepreneur Kaleb Handshaw is trying to change that. He restores the original nature on the plateau of an old excavated coal mine, with the help of former miners. “For us, the coal industry is a culture. We are not against coal, but we want our people to be able to keep up with a changing world.”
NOSAgricultural entrepreneur Kaleb Handshaw
One of those people is James Damron. He used to work in a mine not far from the agricultural company and now he works with Kaleb to bring nature back. “I was always very proud to be a miner. My former colleagues in the mining industry are surprised when I tell them that I now work on the land. Instead of working underground, I now work the soil and take care of it. the cattle. I enjoy working in the outdoors.”
NOSJames Damron, West Virginia
From proud miners to proud farmers: West Virginians are now open to change. Braden Ferguson works for the solar panel company Solar Holler and employs many former miners, whom he calls “solar miners.” The demand for his solar panels is growing rapidly due to the tax benefits. “We even recently announced a major partnership with an entire school district, which will see dozens of schools and buses run on solar energy.”
Jacob Hannah is happy to see that the region is revived by the green transition. “With the disappearance of coal, optimism among residents also disappeared. All the new investments and initiatives not only bring back jobs, but give people hope again. That is what we are most proud of.”
2024-01-09 19:19:12
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