Transforming Closed Coal Plants into Productive Community Assets

As coal plants retire, it is not only important to look at what type of energy is generated to replace these sources, but also what happens to these former coal plant sites and the local economies and communities that relied upon them. Coal plants are often significant employers and contributors to the local tax base, and that economic loss requires coordinated planning. Plant retirements also offer a great opportunity for the local community to come together and define a new vision for the site that meets their needs, whether those needs are jobs, residential housing, green space, or another industrial use.