The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative coalcountryteam

1. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Our mission is to provide rural communities impoverished by environmental degradation and its consequences the help they need to make their home-place-watersheds healthier places to live and work.

2. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org In Coal Country there are over 3 million people who live within 1 mile of an AML site

3. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT): • Founded in 2002 • Assist rural communities impacted by pre-regulatory environmental degradation and its consequences in making their homelands healthier places to live and work. • Place college-educated OSM/VISTA Volunteers with community/watershed organizations for 1 year. • Provide support and training for OSM/VISTAs and their Supervisors • Serve: PA, OH, MD, WV, VA, KY, TN, AL • Currently 37 ACCT OSM/VISTAs in the field

4. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Ten Years of Service (2002-2012) Highlights During our decade of service, the ACCT • Placed and trained 214 OSM/VISTAs • 90 of those relocated from outside of Appalachia and have stayed in the region! • Supported 114 Appalachian Community Groups • Secured $8.5 million in grants • Developed $7.9 million in-kind resources • Logged 520,000 hours of service by community volunteers

5. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Community Groups

6. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org • Core Goals • Capacity Building • Economic Development • Environmental Stewardship • Education and Outreach • Professional Development VISTA positions are valued at $22,000 sites hosting an OSM/VISTA is $7,000

7. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Capacity Building OSM/VISTAs write grants, recruit volunteers, build/strengthen community partnerships with other community improvement organizations Recruited 1,504Volunteers Logging 71,130 hours of service Leveraged $209,591 in in-kind resources Secured $760,753in grants Established 889 partnerships

8. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Economic Development ~ 200 projects this year! OSM/VISTAs implement or develop projects that encourage tourism, cultural heritage preservation, community gardens, green energy, and sustainability.

9. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Environmental Stewardship • 568 AMD sites monitored • 121 AMD Remediation projects started • 1096 sites monitored for water quality • 37,759 trees planted on ~165.5 acres

10. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Outreach and Education OSM/VISTAs create outdoor classrooms, develop and implement environmental educational programs for youth, partnerships with local 4-H, Boy and Girl Scouts, local school districts, etc. • Conducted 148 presentations reaching 8,143 students • Held 219 community events

11. The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT) An OSM/VISTA Initiative www.coalcountryteam.org Professional Development • ACCT host two biannual trainings for OSM/VISTAS and their supervisors • OSM/VISTAs participate widely in professional conferences

12. Intern Program (NEW!) • 1700 hours of work (12 month position) • Member is earns a stipend of $12,100 a month • Member receives Education award after • No pre-requisites for hosting • $20,500 –which covers the cost to support the Member The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org • Projects include: • Mapping and monitoring • Creating educational programs • Training volunteers • Creating newsletters • Creating survey protocols • Establishing databases • Building Rehabilitation

13. Environmental Stewards Summer Programs • This summer’s Environmental Steward program consisted of 52 members, across 14 states • Activities include: • Map and historical building preservation • Trail building/restoration • Water quality surveys • Removal of invasive species • Educating the public on conservation.   The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org • 29 community gardens were created • Over 5 miles of trails built • 10 acres of invasive species removed

14. OSM/AmeriCorps Regulatory Members • The program has27 members for the 2012-2013 year • The members are supported by both OSM Headquarters in DC and OSM Appalachian Region The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org • Members participate in projects such as: • Attending mine inspections • Creating web sites • Digitizing maps • Tracking fills and much more

15. Reforestation Initiative • Since 2009, the ACCT Reforestation Initiative has: • Planted 719,175 trees • Reforested 1,032.4 acres The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org • In 2012 the ACCT Reforestation Initiative has : • Planted 54,175 • Reforested 112.4acres • Recruited 7,478 hours of volunteer service Look for an opportunity to apply for $$ to support your Reforestation Project!

16. NCCC Initiative • Two Teams awarded in spring 2012 • Two Teams awarded in fall 2012 • Potential for winter 2012 Team The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org • Spring 2012 Teams served across Appalachia for 10 weeks • Combined the Teams: • Planted 9260 trees • Reforested 10.2 acres • Beautified 181.5 acres of land

17. Training Appalachian Coal Country Team Semiannual Training The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org The ACCT covers the costs for member’s attendance, secures trainers and provides fun cultural learning opportunities

18. Visit our website: www.coalcountryteam.org Call or email for more information! April Trent Team Director teamdirector@coalcountryteam.org PH: 304.252.4848 ext 310 Spencer Moss OSM/VISTA Leader osmvistaleader1@coalcountryteam.org PH: 304.252.4848 ext 304 The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)An OSM/VISTA Initiativewww.coalcountryteam.org