O'Halleran Reintroduces Legislation to Aid Coal Transition Communities

Press Release

On Friday, Congressman Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01) introduced the National Energy Workforce and Providing Recovery Opportunities to Manage the Industry's Shifting Economics (NEW PROMISE) Act, legislation that would provide economic development resources to communities affected by the closure of the Navajo Generating Station (NGS)--and those like it across the United States--establish job and skills training programs for displaced employees, and invest in cities, towns, and tribal areas that have suffered economic downturn as a result of a closing coal-generation plant.

The legislation is an updated version of O'Halleran's 116th Congress PROMISE Act.

"NGS was a powerhouse for northern Arizona and the many rural and tribal families who relied on the good-paying jobs it provided," said O'Halleran. "With the continued challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism has plummeted, especially from the international visitors the Page community was so used to welcoming. In introducing my updated NEW PROMISE Act, I am taking into account the concerns of tribal leadership, county, local, and statewide stakeholders to provide an all-of-the-above recovery approach for the community of Page, and so many communities like it across rural America, where hardworking folks are out of a job due to no fault of their own."

Today, O'Halleran spoke at Page City Hall to introduce his legislation. He was joined by President Jonathan Nez of the Navajo Nation, Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma of the Hopi Tribe, and Page Mayor Bill Diak, as well as county and local officials.

O'Halleran's NEW PROMISE Act will

Direct the Secretary of Labor and Director of the White House Council to establish a 10-year pilot program to provide education and training opportunities to dislocated workers from the downturn of coal-fired electric generation to enter jobs in emerging energy-related industries;
Establish a mitigation fund to recoup revenue losses incurred following the closure of a coal-fired generating station in an economically distressed community;
Create, within the White House, a Council on Energy Transitions, responsible for reporting data on coal-fired generation station closures and their effects, conducting outreach to impacted communities, and maintaining a team of grant specialists;
Form Regional Transition Advisory Committees comprised of local government, labor, utility, environmental, academic, and economic experts to work with distressed communities and develop targeted recovery plans;
Put in place a requirement for electric utilities to notify potentially impacted local governments of the projected date of seasonal operations or closure of a coal-fired generating unit or facility; and
Allocate
$50 million annually for economic development planning to distressed communities over 14 years, totaling $700 million;
$50 million annually for infrastructure investments in distressed communities over five years, totaling $250 million;
$100 million in displaced worker training support over 10 years; and
$250 million in support for lost revenues to impacted communities which phases down annually over 7 years for a total of $1.35 billion in support to coal communities as a whole.

BACKGROUND:

The Navajo Generating Station (NGS) was a coal-fired power plant located on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. For decades, NGS provided good-paying jobs for families on Navajo and Hopi lands, and within the community of Page. The plant closed its doors at the end of 2019 following poor economic performance, competition from market penetration, and affordability of other energy sources, displacing many workers and creating an economic void for key communities across rural Arizona in its wake.

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