Preparing new approaches for economic diversification during coal transition
Counties of Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Routt | Completed 2023
Project Details
The Challenge
Key Activities
Outcomes
As the coal industry declines, communities in coal-reliant regions across the American West are facing economic shock, job loss, and deduction in local tax revenue. National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Building Resilient Economies in Coal Communities (BRECC), funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, provides assistance to coal communities seeking to revitalize and diversify their economies. Community Builders partnered with NACo to better prepare five Western communities to advance new approaches and projects for economic diversification as they transition away from reliance on coal.
In 2023, three counties in Northwest Colorado, Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Routt, faced the closure of two coal-fired power plants. Community Builders teamed up with the three counties on the BRECC Action Challenge – a technical assistance program seeking to empower local leaders to identify and advance projects for economic revitalization and diversification.
Throughout the yearlong process, Community Builders sought to help the Counties of Rio Blanco, Moffat, and Routt identify shared strategies to improve the region’s ability to respond to challenges associated with job and revenue loss from coal transition. Key activities included one-on-one coaching, conducting a community assessment, identifying goals and opportunities, establishing high-level strategies and action steps, and preparing local partners to present their economic diversification strategies to federal and policy partners.
The regional Economic Diversification Strategy, the project’s final report, included six key coal transition strategies: infrastructure and physical investment, target industry expansion, housing access and affordability, workforce development, clean energy, and coal transition capacity. The report also included specific implementation actions and guidance as well as funding opportunities to ensure future momentum after the conclusion of the BRECC Action Challenge. At the conclusion of the project, the region was awarded a nationally competitive economic development fellow who is adding critical human capacity to advance plan priorities.