Communities that are on the front lines of impacts from declines in coal production and coal plant closures are seeing an influx of job-creating investments and funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to boost economic resilience during the clean energy transition. There are resources to help communities and workers navigate this transition.

The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) will promote job-creating investments in communities already impacted by coal mine and power plant closures and will also be proactive, investing now in the communities likely to be impacted by additional, near-term declines in coal production and generation from coal-fired power plants.

The IWG created a step-by-step guide intended to help communities and workers start the process of planning or responding to economic and social changes resulting from the energy transition or any major economic shift. The guide has 10 steps, divided into the categories of Planning, Executing, and Managing. It’s designed to be applicable to any stage of economic transition. Start with the step that best fits your current needs or stage of a specific project.