What is the RAC?
The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition (RAC) is a multi-state coalition comprised of Appalachian Voices, Coalfield Development Corporation, and Rural Action, with technical assistance and added capacity provided by Downstream Strategies. Established in 2017 to promote Innovative Mine Reclamation in Appalachia, our coalition has effectively secured over $15.8 million in AML Pilot (or AMLER) funds, leveraging approximately $11.4 million in additional funds. This success has cemented our coalition as a thought leader and indispensable resource for communities in the field. We provide expert resources to Appalachian coalfield communities to identify, develop, and fund innovative reclamation projects while supporting the growth of a regional community of practice and advocating for a more just and equitable implementation of federal funds through AML Pilot/AMLER.
Read about a few of our project highlights HERE.
News & Updates
3/31/22: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition submitted recommendations to the Department of Energy regarding its funding opportunity for a facility to extract rare earth elements from coal waste such as acid mine drainage, gob, and coal ash. Read the recommendations here: https://reclaimingappalachia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RAC-ORVI-REE-RFI-March-2022.pdf
3/30/22: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition released its recommendations about the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program. Read more here: https://appvoices.org/2022/03/30/amler-recommendations-pr/
3/20/22: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition will host a webinar and release its new report detailing recommendations for the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program on March 30th, 11am ET. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lNLk12QTSvibWr1M1TfzMg
7/15/21: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition released a report, Moving forward at warp speed: Abandoned mine reclamation over the coming years, detailing the economic potential of the abandoned mine line proposal contained within the federal bipartisan infrastructure package proposal. https://www.downstreamstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Memo-3-Abandoned-mine-reclamation-over-the-coming-years.pdf
1/9/21: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition will host a webinar and release its latest report, Restoration and Renewal: The New Appalachian Economy, on January 14. Register for the webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_37z7pLE2S5Ou3vI0muD5BQ
12/15/20: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition hosted a webinar to discuss the status of bonding pools for post-SMCRA mines, as more coal companies are declaring bankruptcies and triggering bond forfeitures. Watch the webinar here: https://reclaimingappalachia.org/webinars/
8/7/20: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition announced recipients of its inaugural mini-grant program for innovative coal mine reclamation projects in Alabama, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Read more at: http://reclaimingappalachia.org/2020-mini-grant-projects/
07/08/20: The Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition just released the “Community Benefits Agreements Research Report.“ Check it out at
http://reclaimingappalachia.org/reports/
04/07/20: On April 21, 2020, we will be hosting a webinar to provide information about the coalition’s new mini-grants for innovative reclamation projects and share details about innovative economic and community development projects on abandoned mine land reclamation in Central Appalachia. Register at
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/345847390119251213
03/19/20: In 2020, the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition will award mini-grants to four projects on abandoned mine lands (AML) in Alabama, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. The grant award will consist of $7,000 in start-up funds as well as 30 hours of project technical and planning assistance from Downstream Strategies. See more at
http://reclaimingappalachia.org/community-mini-grants/
10/31/19: On October 31, 2019, the RAC released its latest report, “A New Horizon: Innovative Reclamation for a Just Transition.” Check it out here: http://reclaimingappalachia.org/reports/
10/15/19: The RAC’s next webinar, “Innovative Reclamation Projects Across the Appalachian Region,” will take place on October 31, where we will be discussing multiple projects the group has been working on throughout 2019. Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8112767838218194444
Project Highlights