Journal of Science Policy & Governance | Volume 18, Issue 02 | June 21, 2021

Policy Memo: The Crisis of US Coal Communities: Strategies for a Just Transition to Renewable Energy

Grace E. Chesmore (1), Rachel L. Starr (2), Rebecca Van Hoeck (3), Meredith L. Ward
  1. University of Chicago, Physics Department, Chicago, IL
  2. Columbia University, Chemistry Department, New York City, NY
  3. University of North Carolina, Biology Department, Chapel Hill, NC
​
Corresponding author: chesmore@uchicago.edu
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https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG180202
Keywords: just transition; land reclamation; job retraining; economic relief; coal power; renewable energy 
Executive Summary: Though coal was once a leading source of energy and economic growth, negative health impacts, detrimental environmental effects, and market forces have led to a rapid decline in production. Without nationwide legislation aiding them, coal-dependent communities in the US are suffering from financial downfall during this shift. Here, we propose three policy options to uplift these communities by providing subsidies to renewable energy companies that expand operations in former coal communities, reclaim the land, and provide job retraining. These options, alongside suggested federal funding for direct community aid, work cohesively to provide a lasting source of economic stability, improve environmental and public health in former coal-dependent communities, and mitigate the climate crisis. We call upon the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Interagency Working Group) to ensure the diversion of subsidies away from the coal industry and towards these efforts to promote a just transition for the affected communities.

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Grace E. Chesmore is a Ph.D. candidate in physics at the University of Chicago, where she works as an experimental cosmologist. She received her M.S. in physics from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in physics from Santa Clara University. She serves as the Vice President of the Science Policy Group at the University of Chicago and works to connect Illinois legislators with science experts for more informed policy-making.
 
Rachel L. Starr is a Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry at Columbia University, focusing on making and using a variety of functional nanomaterials for a range of applications, including drug delivery and electronics. After graduation, she plans to work in the science policy space on clean energy/climate change solutions. She holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Barnard College.
 
Rebecca Van Hoeck is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biology Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research uses marine soundscapes to ask a variety of ecological questions, including how fishery populations may interact with offshore wind energy development. She serves as a Co-President of the UNC Science Policy Advocacy Group and holds a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Tampa.
 
Meredith L. Ward holds an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently works as an analytical chemist in the cannabis industry in Massachusetts. She is also interested in environmental justice, air pollution, and energy issues.
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