Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, applauded the renewed attention of the U.S. Department of Energy on North Central Appalachia in a report released this afternoon entitled The Appalachian Energy and Petrochemical Renaissance.

“I have long believed that energy-rich Appalachia is well positioned to continue to be a powerhouse of industry and manufacturing with some targeted public and private investment. That’s why I’ve strongly supported innovative economic and workforce development initiatives including job training centers, the Appalachian Storage Hub, clean energy manufacturing initiatives, and the pioneering research and development of fossil fuel-based technologies being done at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, WV,” said Senator Manchin. “Investing in innovation in areas like coal-to-products and natural gas liquids will ensure we are unlocking the region’s full economic potential while building the skilled workforce needed to make this happen. At the same time, we must use these resources in the most responsible way possible, ensuring we reduce greenhouse gas emissions and identifying ways to implement carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies to do so. I look forward to continue working with DOE, other federal agencies, and industry stakeholders to attract new investment, leverage opportunities, create jobs, and secure a prosperous economic future for the region.”

The report examines economic opportunities for growth in the energy sector, the petrochemical sector which uses energy as its primary feedstock, and the manufacturing sector, which can use low-cost energy and petrochemical sector products as manufacturing inputs.  Further, the report documents the role of human capital in Appalachia and how best to develop a twenty-first century workforce.

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