Participation Type
Roundtable
Session Title
Session 9.14 Economic Policy
Presentation #1 Title
Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: How can communities influence mine cleanup, create jobs, and diversify our economy through policy change?
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This roundtable will discuss the collaborative research project moderated by the Appalachian Transition Fellowship Program, the Alliance for Appalachia, and the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and their work researching the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund. This project is seeking to identify policy change that will allow proper enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), community participation in reclamation programs, and job creation through reclamation and future use of pre-1977 abandoned mine sites. We will explore the broader context of regional economic transition in Central Appalachia. We ask how to build policy and community-based planning structures for democratic access to federal funding and agencies, such as the Appalachian Regional Commission, Abandoned Mine Lands Fund, and other state and federal agencies that will help address the legacy costs of mining in our communities. Our project has attracted over 100 stakeholders who want to be involved in the process of addressing the legacy costs of coal mining in their communities. This roundtable will discuss the whitepaper published with the policy recommendations from our research and seeking input and participation from conference attendees in the campaigns and actions to come. The roundtable will be moderated by Kendall Bilbrey, Appalachian Transition Fellow with the Alliance for Appalachia and Eric Dixon, Appalachian Transition Fellow with the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center. Notable participants joining the roundtable will be David Rouse, Shauna Scott, and members of the Alliance for Appalachia’s Economic Transition Team.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Kendall Bilbrey is an Appalachian Transition Fellow from Southwest Virginia who hopes for a bright future for Appalachian Youth through creating opportunities to stay in the region. Kendall works as a fellow for the Alliance for Appalachia on the AML project and serves on the steering committee for the STAY (Stay Together Appalachian Youth) Project.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Eric Dixon is an Appalachian Transition Fellow with the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is driven by a personal philosophy to live deliberately and a passion for the cooperative pursuit of social and economic justice; his work with the AML project seeks both.
Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: How can communities influence mine cleanup, create jobs, and diversify our economy through policy change?
This roundtable will discuss the collaborative research project moderated by the Appalachian Transition Fellowship Program, the Alliance for Appalachia, and the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and their work researching the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund. This project is seeking to identify policy change that will allow proper enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), community participation in reclamation programs, and job creation through reclamation and future use of pre-1977 abandoned mine sites. We will explore the broader context of regional economic transition in Central Appalachia. We ask how to build policy and community-based planning structures for democratic access to federal funding and agencies, such as the Appalachian Regional Commission, Abandoned Mine Lands Fund, and other state and federal agencies that will help address the legacy costs of mining in our communities. Our project has attracted over 100 stakeholders who want to be involved in the process of addressing the legacy costs of coal mining in their communities. This roundtable will discuss the whitepaper published with the policy recommendations from our research and seeking input and participation from conference attendees in the campaigns and actions to come. The roundtable will be moderated by Kendall Bilbrey, Appalachian Transition Fellow with the Alliance for Appalachia and Eric Dixon, Appalachian Transition Fellow with the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center. Notable participants joining the roundtable will be David Rouse, Shauna Scott, and members of the Alliance for Appalachia’s Economic Transition Team.
