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Cris Ritchie begins his Valentine's Day editorial in the Hazard Herald with a stark observation:

So, what does it mean for Eastern Kentucky, where coal jobs have been the backbone of our economy, when companies begin cutting jobs and closing mines? Twenty years ago it would have meant that the coal industry is simply in the midst of a slowdown, and we’ll have another boom in a few years. Now, I’m not so sure.

His editorial, published yesterday, asks "Where do we go without coal?" and readers of this blog won't be surprised that Ritchie doesn't have an easy answer to his own questions.  But taken in conjunction with last week's "E. Ky. needs more concern over job losses in coal" editorial in the same paper, these pieces articulate the same questions Appalachian Transition readers seek to answer.  Take a look at Ritchie's pieces and let us know what your thoughts are -- is this a problem of leadership? vision? economic policy? and, perhaps most importantly -- where do we go from here?

We wanted to pass on this mini-grant application opportunity from our friends at the Brushy Fork Institute.  For more information, contact Jane Higgins or attend the February 22nd information session at Berea College.

The Appalachian Rural Development Philanthropy Initiative (ARDPI) is a shared effort of the Kentucky Philanthropy Initiative, Endow Kentucky, the Blue Grass Community Foundation, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, the Foundation for the Tri-State Community, The Center for Rural Development, and the Brushy Fork Institute. The organizations in this group share a wealth of knowledge related to philanthropy, community development and leadership development. The group is committed to promoting wealth creation and community transformation through a concerted effort that builds civic, human and financial capacity around local philanthropy. This work involves creating an infrastructure that engages local people in communities and builds the capacity of the region through prudent stewardship of resources, thus supporting the growth of local wealth through permanent community endowments.

The Center for Rural Development and The Brushy Fork Institute will offer a mini-grant option related to ARDPI for Prospect Communities.  Prospect Communities are those that are in the planning stage of philanthropy work and need to build capacity. 

Eligible counties for the January 2012 Mini-Grant cycle are: Adair, Bath, Breathitt, Carter,  Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Green, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Lewis, Lincoln, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Robertson, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne, and Wolfe. Qualified applicants may request a maximum $10,000 in ARC funds for an ARDPI community foundation capacity building mini-grant project.

Economist writer Jon Fasman has been paying attention to the role coal plays in the Appalachian economy, with a piece in the late January print edition of The Economist.  He follows up that article with a video, "Reforestation in Coal Country," profiling Transition allies Chris Barton of the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) and clean energy entrepreneur Nathan Hall of East Kentucky Biodiesel.  Take a look at Jon's latest article and video (available here):

Appalachian terraforming

Feb 3rd 2012, 16:29 by J.F. | LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA

IMAGINE you head a municipal utility company. Your coal-fired power plant is aging. Your plant is among the 47% of American plants that have not yet installed the scrubbers needed to bring it into compliance with new EPA regulations. You therefore face a choice. Do you a) install the scrubbers, b) build a new coal-fired power plant, c) build a natural-gas-fired power plant or d) invest in solar or wind power? All four options are expensive, and none is perfect, but the latter two, in most circumstances, are clearly the better options.

In his blog post on Coal Tattoo yesterday, Ken Ward asks "Will W.Va. prepare for a post-coal future?" -- it is a question we could and should be asking here in Kentucky too.  Ward points to a new study (PDF) from the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy that discuss steps West Virginia could take to prepare for the day when coal and natural gas run out.  The report concludes:

West Virginia would benefit greatly from the creation of a permanent severance tax trust fund. An Economic Diversification Fund would help the state meet many of today’s economic challenges, while ensuring that future generations benefit from the mineral wealth of their state. In the past, West Virginia did not gain broadly shared prosperity for its residents, despite the tremendous wealth of natural resources in the state. As the Marcellus Shale gas play begins to boom in West Virginia, the state should take action today to ensure that it truly benefits from the extraction of its valuable natural resources. Without a permanent fund, the economic benefit from the natural resource extraction will decline along with the natural resources themselves.

Ward writes: "The center proposes a 1 percent additional severance tax on coal and natural gas that could go into this fund, and be used a bit at a time to help pay for a variety of economic development efforts — everything from early childhood development programs and college grants to workforce training and infrastructure improvements."

Our friends at the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, TN are looking to fill three open internship positions -- applications are due February 13, so spread the word to anyone you think might be a good fit!

Highlander Internships 2012

We have three internship openings for 2012.  Our schedule for selection is: