The Warren-Moreno proposal prevents Social Security cuts that could cost elderly Appalachians over $4,000 per year.
Alarm bells are ringing in Washington, D.C., with the Trump Administration warning that Social Security is projected to become insolvent in 2032. This would trigger an automatic 22% cut to benefits for over 70 million elderly or disabled Americans who rely, at least in part, on the program. Debate is swirling this week, as two […]
Copying and pasting ‘JobsOhio’ is a bad idea for West Virginia.
JobsOhio, the state’s economic development arm, hasn’t delivered a jobs boom. Copying the program won’t help West Virginians, either.
Why “drill, baby, drill” won’t lower your utility bills
Increasing fracking and drilling operations could help energy companies, foreign consumers, tech companies, and shareholders—but not struggling Americans.
An Economic Impact Analysis of a Planned Plastics Pyrolysis Facility in Follansbee, West Virginia
A pyrolysis project in Follansbee, WV is unlikely to create many jobs or generate much tax revenue for local and state budgets, modeling suggests.
Ohio House Budget Proposal Would Cost Appalachian Public Schools $565.8 Million Over the Next 2 Years
The Ohio House of Representatives recently released its proposal for the next two years of school funding. Despite claims that the new plan gives schools more money than they received in 2025, the new proposal actually reduces funds for almost all of Ohio’s public schools compared to what they would have received if the state […]
Tariffs and Appalachia
New tariffs on Mexico, China, and Canada stand to cut jobs, raise consumer prices, and shrink GDP in the short term in manufacturing- and energy-dependent Appalachia.
EV Charging Station Funding Freeze Forfeits More Than $400 Million and Over 3,500 Ohio River Valley Job Opportunities
On February 6, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a memo suspending the ability of states and tribes to spend previously approved grants for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Regional media has speculated that the suspension is part of a widespread effort by the Trump administration to roll back or freeze dollars allocated to […]
Giving Away the Future
Billions in ITEP tax incentives have failed to grow jobs and personal incomes in Louisiana.
Measuring the ‘Cost’ of a Disaster
A lot has happened since ORVI originally published our post on the disastrous toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Cleanup efforts are still underway by the railroad operator, Norfolk Southern, but they have raised new questions about the safe transport of contaminated soil and water on public roadways to state disposal sites. New water […]
An Overview of the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment and Hazardous Chemical Spill in East Palestine, Ohio
Information contained within this post is current as of its publication on February 23, 2023. Due to the fluid nature of the situation and the continuing release of new information, future updates will be regularly added and specified at the end of the post. What happened in East Palestine, Ohio? On February 3, 2023, […]