Background: Since 2000, the United States has lost 2.8 million manufacturing jobs and witnessed unprecedented growth in the trade deficit. Citizens in the Appalachian region, many of whom depended on steel, textile, and other manufacturing and related (e.g., coal) industry for their livelihoods, have suffered significantly as a result. The Appalachian Institute, since its inception in September 2002, has acted to raise awareness of and seek solutions for the desperate local and regional economic development and job creation needs that now exist. Our research of existing policy statements leads us to the conclusion that few comprehensive, concrete plans identify: potential new industries; related tax and other financial incentives and/or assistance; research and development support; education and retraining targeted at emerging jobs; trade policies affecting outsourcing, currency manipulation, agreements on labor and environment standards; and technology and energy development.

Fall 2004 Project: The Appalachian Institute host a visit to West Virginia by Mr. Gordon Conway, President of the Rockefeller Foundation. During his visit, the Institute will convene a seminar with invited guests from industry, organized labor, government, higher education research offices, and non-profit economic development, religious, and community organizations to consider how West Virginians can insure that existing and new economic development is sustainable. It will be the charge of this group to formulate some “next steps” toward sustainability and the strategies necessary to implement.