Southern Illinois communities take steps to move on from coal for jobs, growth |

METROPOLIS, Ill. — With the closure of coal-powered power plants and coal mines around Illinois, many communities are wondering what their next steps are for jobs and growth.

The Rural Development arm of the United States Department of Agriculture hosted a two-day workshop Tuesday and Wednesday, May 14-15, that put together community leaders, business leaders, economic developers and more with representatives from state, federal and regional agencies to learn more about financial opportunities that are available.

The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (IWG) Illinois Basin Funding Workshop was hosted by Shawnee Community College at the Massac County Extension Center in Metropolis.

“This is an opportunity for us to recognize the people who powered our nation to become what it is today,” said Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, administrator of rural business-cooperative service with USDA Rural Development. “It’s a chance to listen and find out what’s needed and targeting federal investment dollars into these communities because they’re writing our next chapter.”

With the decline in coal-related employment nationwide, USDA is leading a consortium of federal and state entities to work with identifiable areas affected by coal-related closures. Federal partners put out an all-call to local governments, education, non-profits and start-up businesses for proposals to present their ideas. On Tuesday, around eight entities pitched their projects and plans to state, federal and regional agencies and learned directly what potential funding sources could be available and best fit those ideas.

On Wednesday morning, state, federal and regional agencies informed those local entities about their programs what their funding opportunities are. In the afternoon, a small business specific workshop concerning start-up funding opportunities was hosted by the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce at the Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living Center in Metropolis.

Molly Hammond said the event coincides with the mission of USDA Rural Development.

“Providing resources and information is the development mission of USDA Rural Development,” said Hammond, the acting state director for USDA Rural Development in Illinois. “What’s cool about this type of event is this is just the beginning. This is the initial meet-and-greet, the ‘let’s talk about what we have’ — it’s the beginning of a conversation about how all the agencies in the room can be helpful to these projects.”