Coal communities and the U.S. energy transition: A policy corridors assessment

Local economies with immediate ties to coal-fired power generation face acute challenges from energy system transitions, particularly in the United States where energy policy is heavily devolved and uncoordinated. This study employs a community resilience and transition theory framework to examine how federal and state policies enable or constrain transition planning in rural, coal communities in the U.S. West. Our mixed-methods approach incorporates policy and document analysis with in-depth interviews with policy experts and practitioners. We find that the absence of a national energy transition policy exacerbates uncertainty for coal communities, and as a consequence, two distinct and diverging policy corridors emerge at the state level. According to expert interviews, existing transition assistance policies do not align with the needs and capacity of transitioning coal communities. Together, these findings highlight the need for policies that coordinate the energy transition and provide opportunities and resources that support communities navigating the social and economic impacts of transition.