Griffith, Bipartisan Group Introduce Bill to Support Coal Communities

Press Release

Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) joined House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Congressmen Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Evan Jenkins (R-WV), and Don Beyer (D-VA) in introducing the Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More (RECLAIM) Act, which aims to accelerate $1 billion in available funding in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation (AML) Fund to revitalize coal communities hardest hit by the downturn of the coal industry.

"Regrettably, recent years in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia and throughout Appalachia have been difficult," said Congressman Griffith. "After all, life above ground is impacted when work stops underground as the result of a regulatory onslaught on coal regions, the low cost of competitive fuel, and a sluggish world economy. The RECLAIM Act is an imperative effort to help reinvigorate our hard-hit communities through economic and community development. I will continue fighting along with Chairman Rogers and others to advance economic development strategies such as this which would help keep and grow jobs in Appalachia."

Chairman Rogers said, "In Kentucky alone, we've lost more than 11,000 coal mining jobs since 2009. Instead of allowing those funds to go unused, now is the time to help our coal producing states reinvest in the coalfields with projects that can create new jobs and reinvigorate our economy. Many coal communities in Appalachia simply do not have the resources to reclaim the abandoned mine sites within their borders. This bill allows these communities to be proactive in restoring these sites and utilize them to put our people back to work."

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