Press Releases

Ashley, PA – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that the Earth Conservancy received $21,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support their efforts to conduct a solar feasibility study to build solar installations on 6,000 acres of abandoned mine lands. With an additional $21,000 from local funding sources, the Earth Conservancy has a total of $42,000 to invest in this initiative.

“The Earth Conservancy is doing important work to transform previously unusable lands into job creating projects that are good for our environment and our economy,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is projects like these that demonstrate why the ARC is so meaningful for our area. I look forward to seeing this investment in solar installation for our region move forward.”

For fiscal year 2021, Rep. Cartwright secured $180 million in federal funding for ARC, a $5 million increase over fiscal year 2020.

“On behalf of Earth Conservancy, I am grateful for the support of ARC, and excited to get started on this study of utilizing legacy mine lands in Luzerne County for solar development.  We’ll screen approximately 6,000 acres and rank their suitability for photovoltaic arrays. Those that meet the selected criteria will have great potential for reuse – turning “brownfields into brightfields,” as they like to say – which ultimately can help northeastern Pennsylvania meet its energy needs,” said Terry Ostrowski, Earth Conservancy President and CEO.  “Solar has other important benefits, including diversifying the local energy supply, creating skilled jobs, and attracting investments by both developers and businesses looking to green their operations. It can also provide money-saving opportunities for local energy consumers. I especially appreciate Congressman Cartwright’s support of this project and for his ongoing efforts to revitalize abandoned mine lands in the communities he serves.”

The funding comes from ARC’s Area Development Program which supports critical infrastructure as well as business and workforce development. It also encourages Appalachian communities to partner with their state governments to invest in revitalization projects.