Chosen by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as the Commission's 2018 states' co-chair, Bryant will work directly with the ARC federal co-chair in this leadership role to continue the agency's commitment to economic growth in the 13-state Appalachian Region.

Announced January 4, Thomas' nomination was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on January 8 for consideration and review.

Signed December 22, the legislation continues ARC's funding at the FY 2017 level, minus a small across-the-board reduction. Commission programs and activities funded through the legislation are the same as those funded through the agency’s FY 2017 appropriation.

Signed December 8, the legislation continues ARC's funding at the FY 2017 level, minus a small across-the-board reduction. Commission programs and activities funded through the legislation are the same as those funded through the agency’s FY 2017 appropriation.

Student research projects to be presented at the 2017 ATP conference focus on developing Appalachia’s natural and cultural assets, supporting public education initiatives, expanding downtown development and community leadership efforts, enhancing health and the quality of life in Appalachia, and cultivating the economic potential of the Region’s waterways.

Signed September 8, the legislation continues ARC's funding at the FY 2017 level, minus a small across-the-board reduction. Commission programs and activities funded through the legislation are the same as those funded through the agency’s FY 2017 appropriation.

On September 6, ARC announced $1.9 million in investments that will continue strengthening the economies of Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities. With these awards, ARC has now invested a total of $94 million to diversify the economies in 250 coal-impacted counties across 11 Appalachian states.

The report Health Disparities in Appalachia, issued in August 2017 by ARC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, documents dramatic disparities in health outcomes and other health-related factors in the Appalachian Region, compared with the nation as a whole. The first part of a…

Approved on July 27, the legislation provides $70 million for ARC’s regular program and $50 million for the POWER Initiative to help communities adversely impacted by changes in the coal industry and power sector.

In July 2017, ARC released a new study that estimates the economic outcomes of work completed on the Appalachian Development Highway System to date, and forecasts the future economic impacts, benefits, and costs associated with completing the system.

The Senate appropriations bill provides $142 million for ARC’s nonhighway programs, while the House bill contains $130 million for ARC. Both bills include $70 million for ARC’s regular program and $50 million for the POWER Initiative to help Appalachian communities adversely impacted by changes in the coal industry and power…

On June 14, ARC announced $15.7 million in investments that will help grow the economies in coal-impacted communities in seven Appalachian states by creating or retaining more than 1,700 jobs, benefiting nearly 1,200 students and workers, and leveraging an additional $64 million into the Appalachian Region.

Signed on May 5, the compromise legislation funds the federal government through the end of fiscal year 2017. The measure provides $152 million for ARC programs.

The May 1 omnibus bill provides $6 million more for ARC's FY 2017 programs than the Commission received for FY 2016. House and Senate action on the legislation is pending.

On March 28, ARC announced $2.4 million in additional investments to continue diversifying the economy in Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities. These investments will create and retain hundreds of jobs in advanced manufacturing and agriculture, build a workforce pipeline through the Region’s community colleges, and identify additional economic opportunities for economic growth…