MOVING BEYOND COAL: HOW A COMMUNITY CAN TRANSITION

The goal of the Sierra Club's Georgia Chapter “Beyond Coal Campaign” is to educate members of coal-dependent communities on coal plant retirement and issues associated with transitioning to clean energy in efforts to combat global climate change. This research project focuses on the development of educational materials for people in Northwest Georgia who will be impacted by these closures so that they can identify and legislate for best-case options. Specifically, Plant Hammond, is a vulnerable coal-fired power plant near Rome where state regulators restricted capital investment despite the need for additional pollution controls. In this project, we use examples from other coal dependent communities (e.g. Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee) that have undergone the transition to provide Plant Hammond stakeholders with innovative options for their future. This can include facility adaptive use, applying for public funding, and leveraging existing infrastructure to invite new industry to the region. Conversely, we also provide examples of decision making that lead to worst-case scenarios of tax revenue and job loss. These data-driven scenarios can be used as a tool to educate any coal plant-dependent community regarding potential cause and effects of clean energy transitions.