The National Energy Technology Laboratory has quietly been doing research on fossil fuels for years. Now, its director, Brian Anderson, is leading an ambitious working group with 11 federal agencies to help coal mining communities and places that had coal power plants find a new path forward in a clean energy economy.
Part of what makes Anderson a very interesting person to lead that very difficult effort is his family’s deep history in West Virginia energy. He spoke with Jeff Young, host of the Welcome to AppalachAmerica podcast, earlier this year.
“My grandfather was an underground miner,” Anderson said. “My family has been connected in the energy sector my entire life.”
The federal working group he now leads has identified communities like the ones in his family history as being among the most vulnerable to economic losses.
“Communities don’t want a handout and that’s not what we’re trying to do,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is provide the directed, catalytic investment and to prioritize investments into the economically displaced communities.”
“Welcome to AppalachAmerica” is a production of the Ohio Valley ReSource and Louisville Public Media. Listen to more episodes at AppalachAmerica.org.
LISTEN to the episode of “Welcome to AppalachAmerica” with guest Brian Anderson
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