Event to Spur Regional Action Toward Economic Recovery and a Renewable Energy Transition
Published 10-01-21
Submitted by Resilient Cities Catalyst
NEW YORK, October 1, 2021 /CSRwire/ - Resilient Cities Catalyst, along with Reimagine Appalachia, Heartland Investors Network, the City of Pittsburgh, and Columbia University’s Center for Resilient Cities and Landscapes, is convening the Marshall Plan for Middle America Kick-Off Summit, a program that seeks to advance the ambitious plans laid out in the Marshall Plan for Middle America agenda.
The event features remarks from U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh; Pittsburgh, Pa. Mayor William Peduto; Huntington, W. Va. Mayor Steve Williams; Louisville, Ky. Mayor Greg Fischer; and Dr. Leslie Marshall, Lead Author, Marshall Plan for Middle America Roadmap and Director, SFPE Foundation.
What: Marshall Plan for Middle America Virtual Kick-Off
When: Monday, Oct. 4 - Tuesday, Oct. 5 (key speaking slots below)
Who: The event includes perspectives from senior-level actors across government, the private sector, labor organizations, philanthropy, and academia, including:
About The Marshall Plan for Middle America (MP4MA)
MP4MA maps out a vision for an equitable economic recovery in the Upper Appalachia/Ohio River Valley region, while laying the foundation for a robust renewable energy sector. This plan has been spearheaded by Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, in partnership with the nine key cities across four states in the region: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Athens, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Louisville, Kentucky.
"The goal is to be able to understand where the strategic advantages are for all of the different subregions of northern Appalachia and the Ohio Valley, and recognizing how we should be working to help each other instead of competing against each other,” said Mayor Bill Peduto, of Pittsburgh, PA.
The plan envisions $60 billion annually over the next ten years, through private investment, federal, and state funding. This moment for transformation comes during a time that the Federal Government has laid out its ambitious climate change agenda in tandem with stimulus resources. Unparalleled investments into these communities aim to lay the foundation for a just and equitable recovery that also supports high-quality jobs and thriving communities.
“What is happening in Huntington, West Virginia is indicative of what is happening across the Ohio River Valley” said Mayor WIlliams, of Hungtington, WV. “The Marshall Plan for Middle America gives us all an opportunity to compete in the global marketplace.”
"We felt that partnering with the cities included in the Marshall Plan was important because communities in the Ohio Valley are wrestling with energy transition as an existential challenge," said Andrew Salkin, Principal at Resilient Cities Catalyst. "It is critical to have local partners own and drive the work to create meaningful outcomes for their communities. Drawing on our resilience work in more than 100 cities around the globe we have the tools and expertise to help these communities take practical steps towards a transition that is more equitable, sustainable and resilient.”
About Resilient Cities Catalyst
Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC) is a nonprofit comprised of urban practitioners and resilience experts with deep experience working in cities and regions around the world. RCC joins with cities and regions worldwide to help them better leverage the experience, resources, and energies of their leaders, managers, communities, companies, and urbanists to realize their collective visions. Founded by executives from 100 Resilient Cities, RCC’s work is anchored in the knowledge gained in the development of the resilience movement. For more info, please visit: www.rcc.city.
Contact: media@rcc.city
Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC) is a nonprofit composed of urban practitioners and resilience experts with deep experience working in cities around the world. RCC joins with cities worldwide to help them better leverage the experience, resources, and energies of their leaders, managers, communities, companies, and urbanists to realize their collective visions. Founded by executives from 100 Resilient Cities, RCC’s work is anchored in the knowledge gained in the development of the urban resilience movement. For more info, please visit: www.rcc.city.
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