With a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the U.S. government’s operations at the American Centrifuge Project and cleanup activities at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio, Gov. John Kasich is preparing state agencies to assist potentially impacted workers.
The U.S. Department of Energy sent layoff notices to workers at both facilities earlier this month, announcing it would end its contract with the centrifuge project altogether, opting instead to move the operation to Tennessee, and blaming a budget shortfall in fiscal year 2016 appropriations for the diffusion plant layoffs.
Frustrated with the decisions being made by the Obama administration regarding these sites, Kasich has reached out to Ohio’s state Congressional delegation for assistance in responding to the issue.
“Ohioans working on these federal projects in southern Ohio must feel as if the rug has been pulled out beneath their feet by the Obama administration’s failure to keep their promises to help make loan guarantees available and ensure the future prosperity of this community,” Kasich said. “We share their disbelief and are sympathetic to those who might be displaced by the Obama administration’s short-sighted and misguided decision to move centrifuge research to Tennessee, and we are standing by ready to assist any impacted workers.”
To that end, Ohio’s government has already established a special transition center at the OhioMeansJobs Pike County Center. The center will provide customized support for potentially impacted workers, including job readiness services, job search assistance, resume writing and interviewing help, as well as information on job training opportunities and unemployment compensation benefits.
“We also stand ready to assist those workers that may be impacted as Department of Energy considers further funding cuts that would slow needed cleanup efforts at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant,” Kasich added. “Ohio officials have continued regular contact with local workforce teams to ensure they have the resources they need to help any impacted workers and have another visit scheduled to Piketon next week.”