A coalition of leaders in the Appalachian region recently released the "Marshall Plan for Middle America" to create jobs and transition the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky away from fossil fuels.
The "Marshall Plan for Middle America" calls for $600 billion in investments over a decade in the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. The investments would transition the Appalachian region away from fossil fuels and into renewable and energy efficiency projects, according to an article by Reid Frazier.
The authors claim that the plan would create 270,000 direct and 140,000 "induced" jobs," according to Frazier.
Leslie Marshall, associate director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Sustainable Business and the lead author of the plan, is quoted in the article describing the "confluence of crises" the plan intends to address: climate change, social and economic inequality, and the pandemic.
"The plan does not specify where the money will come from, but suggests it could be funded through a mix of tax breaks, public-private partnerships, and alliances between labor, environmental, and academic institutions," according to Frazier, who also notes that the plan shares a lot in common with the Green New Deal.
According to a separate article on the plan by Chris Teale, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has already spoken in support of the plan, but mayors from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia have also signed on to support the plan.
As U.S. Transportation Infrastructure Holds Back Economic Recovery, It's Time for Change
Opinion: Six months into the pandemic, the state of the U.S. economy reveals that the planning profession can support struggling Americans by focusing on transportation and the land use patterns that enable mass transit.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Vital urbanism and a prescription for the post-pandemic city.
Anticipation, Costs Rise as Details of Biden's Infrastructure Plan Emerge
The Biden administration's highly anticipated infrastructure spending plan is expected to go public this week. After weeks of speculation about the size and focus of the plan, recent reports reveal a growing package and new revenue streams.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association