Former Senator John D. Rockefeller IV
Building a Resilient WV by Taking Control of the Mountain State’s Future
Article by Duane Nichols, FrackCheckWV.net, April 9, 2016
On April 8th, the WVU Center for Energy and Sustainable Development in the College of Law sponsored their “National Energy Conference 2016.” These conferences are video recorded and made available on the world-wide-web. Program information is available at: http://energy.law.wvu.edu/conference2016
The “keynote speaker” was former US Senator and former Governor John D. Rockefeller, IV, who came to WV as a VISTA Volunteer in 1964. Senator Rockefeller described his optimism and hope for the economy and well being of the residents of the State. He continues to work to advance the health and welfare of everyone. And, education is an essential component of this.
Samuel Petsonk, Attorney with Mountain State Justice, spoke on “Current Federal Policy Proposals for Coal-Reliant Community Support.” He summarized the POWER + Plan now underway in West Virginia. This program is administered under the WV Hub organization.
What is the Hub?
The WV Hub is a statewide, non-profit organization that helps communities come together to set goals for their future and connects them to the rich network of resources they need to meet those goals. In our network there are resources for:
Convening community conversations, Training community leaders, Recruiting volunteers, Building infrastructure, Reclaiming abandoned buildings, Sustaining healthy food production, Teaching political action, Developing small businesses, Adopting healthy lifestyles, Finding funding for projects, Fostering community life …
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POWER + is the second phase of the POWER Initiative.
POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization), is a coordinated effort among multiple federal agencies to provide coordinated investments in communities negatively impacted by changes in the coal industry and power sector.
POWER + will provide investments in communities impacted by changes in the power sector and coal industry, through a competitively awarded series of grants. These funds will help communities to: diversify their economies; create good jobs in existing or new industries; attract new sources of job-creating investment; and provide reemployment services and job training to dislocated workers in order to connect them to high-quality, in-demand jobs.
For West Virginia, POWER + represents a significant opportunity for collaboration amongst regions, sectors and organizations to secure federal funding support for integrated economic development plans and projects.
KEY POINTS:
### The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will provide $50 million this fiscal year for projects that will help rebuild the economies of Appalachian communities suffering from the decline of the coal industry.
### The U.S. Economic Development Administration will have an additional $15 million available for coal-impacted communities across the nation.
### Other federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will also award funds through POWER +.
### It is anticipated the ARC will have an additional $50 million to help rebuild Appalachian communities in FY 2017.
### ARC funding will support a range of economic development planning and implementation activities, including developing entrepreneurial ecosystems, facilitating access to capital investments and new markets, and addressing barriers related to adequate water, sewer, and telecommunication infrastructure.
### Preference will be given to applications that involve regional collaborations and strategic partnerships.
Beginning in 2015, The Hub has served the pivotal role of convening potential applicants and facilitating collaboration between the various agencies, organizations and individuals with a vested interest in diversifying the economy of West Virginia’s coalfields.
That collaboration is actively encouraged by the funding organizations, and will be essential to West Virginia being able to attract the greatest possible share of the available funds, for the greatest impact.
Anyone interested in POWER + funding opportunities is urged to contact The Hub’s Executive Director.
The latest information about POWER +, including the ARC’s funding criteria and call for applications documents, will be made public as soon as they are available.
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Appointment of Stephanie Tyree Marks Beginning of New Era at The Hub
From an Article by Hub Staff, www.hub.org, April 8, 2016
Stephanie Tyree was instrumental in organizing the regional POWER information meeting at Hawk’s Nest in 2015.
It gives us tremendous pleasure to announce that Stephanie Tyree is the new Executive Director of the WV Community Development Hub.
Stephanie is a superb choice. She understands and embraces the collaborative culture we have created at The Hub.
We conducted a nationwide search and received dozens of applications from highly qualified and experienced individuals in West Virginia and 13 other states. We were impressed with the diversity of the applicants and appreciative of their interest in and knowledge of The Hub. A number of the out-of-state applicants were hoping that securing this position would give them an opportunity to return to their home state.
The Hub has always embraced change, and continued evolution is necessary for our work to succeed.
The transition of The Hub’s leadership to Stephanie Tyree will officially begin at Hubapalooza, our annual community development network event, on April 28. We encourage each of you to join us there in welcoming her to this new role. Stephanie will move into the role of Executive Director on June 1.
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Read an Excerpt of ‘The Well-Tuned Brain‘
Re-Tuning for a Sustainable Future, Post Carbon Institute
Why do we overeat, even if we’re not hungry? Or compulsively shop when our closets overflow with stuff? Our well-tuned brain that evolved long ago, focused on short-term survival, is what guides us each day.
As we sit facing some of the biggest challenges humanity has ever met, it is vital that we understand how our brains are wired and why. As we outstrip our resources and out-consume our neighbors, our brains are taking us headlong into a brick wall.
“With brains long tuned to abundance, we Americans are inclined to deny the future and its forebodings. In our cleverness and flourishing, we have transformed the planet’s ecosystem by ignoring it.”
Peter C. Whybrow, MD. The Well-Tuned Brain: Neuroscience and the Life Well Lived
The Well-Tuned Brain: Neuroscience and the Life Well Lived is the newest book from Post Carbon Institute’s Culture and Behavior Fellow Peter Whybrow. It offers a fascinating analysis of the disruptive mismatch that has emerged—and what we can do about changing it—between the compelling material opportunity of the consumer society, together with its associated stress and workaholic demands, and who we are as evolved creatures of this planet.
We’re thrilled to share this fascinating and important new book with you. Read an adapted excerpt of the book and buy this book.