Rising From The Ashes, a Buffalo Suburb Ends Its Dependence On Coal

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“Always, our key question is:How are we going to take care of our people?” Tonawanda’s inclusive and equitable template for other blue-collar towns facing the loss of dirty energy jobs. The Huntley Alliance is a partnership  which convinced NY lawmakers to provide them with a temporary cash infusion to sustain the town as it reinvents its tax base — the first time a state has offered a financial cushion to a community that was financially reliant on a coal-fired power plant. Also, the fund  has shored-up the school system — which is no longer hemorrhaging teachers — stopped electricity bills from skyrocketing, and kept the budget for the prized paramedic unit intact. The alliance’s proactive approach and the N.Y. legislature’s response offer a vital lesson.Instead of spending millions on propping up coal plants, we need to spend money to help communities make an economic transition.”