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Please join the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, National Wildlife Federation, and Reimagine Appalachia on Wednesday, July 21, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT for a conversation evaluating the potential for a twenty-first century Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The event will feature a discussion of the prospects and opportunities for a revised CCC to mitigate climate change, tackle injustice, and revitalize the US workforce.

The original CCC—a work relief program created as part of the New Deal in 1933—left a profound impact on the US economy, civilian workforce, and national and state park systems. Over the course of a decade, the CCC employed three million people on conservation and infrastructure projects, which resulted in the planting of more than three billion trees and construction of trails and shelters in more than eight hundred parks nationwide.

Today, as state and federal lands face tens of billions of dollars in deferred maintenance, and millions of Americans—particularly members of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities—suffer from an unemployment crisis, a modern CCC has the potential to revitalize economically distressed communities and drive environmental justice. While the original CCC perpetuated racial segregation and exclusion, a revamped CCC offers an opportunity to redress this injustice and center the priorities of frontline communities. The idea of a revised CCC has gained traction with Congress and the Biden Administration; a number of CCC bills have been introduced in the House and Senate, and President Biden called for the creation of a new Civilian Climate Corps via Executive Order during his first week in office.

In this moderated discussion, representatives from across economic development, social justice, and conservation organizations will discuss current CCC-related legislation and federal policy proposals, as well as prospects for a new CCC to drive inclusive economic growth and job creation. Please join this conversation via the web application Zoom, which is accessible through your web browser, the Zoom desktop or mobile app, and by phone. If you wish to join the question and answer period, you must join by app or web. Register below to receive further information on how to join the virtual audience.

Agenda

Keynote remarks by

The Hon. Bob Casey (D-PA)
US Senator
United States Senate

Introductory remarks by

George Frampton
Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

A conversation with

Michael French
Director of Operations
Green Forests Work

Harry Johnson, II
Government Affairs and Policy Manager
Dream Corps

Dr. Ilyssa Manspeizer
Executive Director
Landforce

Jason Walsh
Executive Director
BlueGreen Alliance

Moderated by

Collin O’Mara
Chief Executive Officer
National Wildlife Federation

Learn more about the Global Energy Center