(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The United States Department of Energy (DOE) HAS announced $428 million in grant funding for the building and expansion of Green Energy manufacturing in communities where coal mines have recently been decommissioned.

The 14 projects in 15 United States Coal Communities were chosen by DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) and will help accelerate domestic manufacturing of clean energy, the DOE said.

“The transition to America’s clean energy future is being shaped by communities filled with the valuable talent and experience that comes from powering our country for decades,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “By leveraging the know-how and skillset of the former coal workforce, we are strengthening our national security while helping advance forward-facing technologies and revitalize communities across the Nation.”

Led by small and medium-sized businesses, the projects will address crucial vulnerabilities in the country’s energy supply chain.

Five of the projects selected will be in or near disadvantaged communities.

Each of the projects will include a benefits plan developed to maximize health, environmental, and economic benefits.

The projects span a dozen States - including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Texas and Utah - and will leverage more than $500 million in investments by the Private Sector, while creating 1,900-plus jobs.

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