Opportunities for Beaver County in Federal Investments

For years, Beaver County has been missing out on opportunities and access to resources due to political dysfunction, limited community organization, and a lack of imagination. However, recent legislation signed by President Biden, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, will bring hundreds of billions of dollars of investment into local communities all over the country for years to come.

Justice40 Initiative

In addition to these laws, President Biden signed an executive order implementing the Justice40 Initiative. This initiative aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. These categories of investment include climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure.

Community Benefits Agreement

To participate in the benefits of many of these investments, a potential beneficiary must be able to demonstrate that the community where the investment will take place has been meaningfully involved in planning and directing such investments. A legally binding document called a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is the place where all of this is formalized. A CBA outlines how a company’s investment will provide benefits of various kinds to a local community, including investment in local infrastructure, a commitment to hire and source products locally, set-asides for community organizations, and regulations regarding pollution.

Beaver County’s Preparedness

Unfortunately, Beaver County was wildly behind from the outset, and investments have already been made, with more on the way. However, communities all around the country are scrambling, working together to catch up, and beginning to walk through the kind of community-building processes required to secure local investments. The challenge is substantial, but the payoff will be significant and transformational for those communities and leaders who can become organized and exercise their collective voice.

Opportunities for Beaver County

RiverWise, a nonprofit employing sustainable development practices to create a regional identity around the rivers of Beaver County, has been learning about and working on these issues for some time now. They have begun to secure resources and organize stakeholders to begin public education, gatherings, and collaboration that can rapidly accelerate their capacity to contribute to the creation of Community Benefit Agreements.

Over the coming months, RiverWise and its partners will hold public and involved gatherings aimed at growing their collective capacity to create meaningful Community Benefit Coalitions that can bring tangible benefits to communities around Beaver County.

Conclusion

Beaver County’s ability to thrive hinges on leadership, vision, and organization. Biden’s commitment to the Justice40 Initiative is the latest in a long line of opportunities that require such collective competency. Those who are willing to do the hard work of organizing their communities stand a good chance of securing substantial investment and opportunity in this coming season. Together, let’s do all we can to ensure that Beaver County is among the list of those who are learning how to take maximum advantage of the many opportunities emerging in these unusual times.

Read More of this Story at www.timesonline.com – 2023-06-25 10:11:58

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