Conclusion

Lifting up workers and communities should be a central focus of a cleaner economy. Energy workers have alwaysbeen the backbone of our economy. Along with their communities, they have dealt firsthand with over a century ofboom and bust cycles, union busting, and air and water pollution. But as coal mining jobs continue to decrease, coal-fired power plants continue to shutter, and the world moves away from fossil fuels, energy workers and communitiesare losing jobs, tax revenue, and union membership. They need and deserve dedicated federal support that builds oncommunity-driven economic development and diversification efforts.

Unionization increases job quality and safety for workers, and through proper implementation of the many BIL and Inflation Reduction Act programs targeted to energy communities, the Biden administration will help grow good union jobs in areas that need it most.