To view photos from the event, please click here.

Charleston, WV — Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined West Virginia community and business leaders and federal officials at the University of Charleston for a workshop on the Inflation Reduction Act’s 48C Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit program. Hosted by the White House’s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) Office, today’s workshop was intended to help stakeholders navigate the program and prepare for the next round of funding applications.

The 48C program was established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and Chairman Manchin expanded the program in the Inflation Reduction Act with a $10 billion investment to fund projects that expand energy manufacturing and recycling; expand critical materials processing and refining; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at industrial facilities.

The 48C program includes a $4 billion carve out for projects in designated energy communities where a coal mine has closed since December 31, 1999, or a coal-fired electric generating unit has been retired since after December 31, 2009.

“This credit was first established in 2009 and allocated $2.3 billion to nearly 200 energy manufacturing projects across 43 states by providing them a 30% investment tax credit. None of them were in West Virginia,” Chairman Manchin said during the event. “Looking at the success of the program alongside the necessity that we onshore our supply chains and expand our manufacturing footprint, I focused on restarting the program with another $10 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act.”

“And, for the first time, $4 billion of that is set aside specifically for projects in coal communities that have helped power our nation to become the greatest industrial might the world has ever seen. To be clear, these coal communities we all know well are eligible for the full $10 billion, but only they are eligible for $4 billion, making it a huge opportunity,” continued Chairman Manchin. “So, while West Virginian companies may not have participated in this program 15 years, ago, it’s teed up to make a huge difference this go around by incentivizing companies on the leading edge of next-generation energy technologies to come to places like Appalachia and allowing companies already here to expand their production facilities or deploy new technologies to continue our state’s legacy as America’s energy powerhouse.”