Energy demand is rising, electricity prices are increasing, and the grid is struggling to keep up. To meet this challenge, states must invest in energy infrastructure, while ensuring that investments benefit both the grid at large and local host communities. Taking a critical look at how community engagement can be most effective during grid investment projects is essential for turning local perspectives into best practices.
We convened a panel of experts who have developed community engagement frameworks through robust community outreach and research. They shared lessons learned and practical tools for developers, regulators, and advocates working to make grid investments beneficial for the communities that host them. Our speakers included Josh Rogers, Policy Specialist for Energy Systems at the Great Plains Institute; and Maury Galbraith, Executive Director of the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority.
Lessons Along the Road: Insights from Research on Engaging Communities in Transmission Projects
Learn more by watching the webinar at 05:13.
Josh Rogers provided insights from his research interviewing communities and stakeholders along transmission lines across the Great Plains, compiled in the report Lessons Along the Road to Transmission. Highlights from his presentation include:
- To meet rising electricity demand, increased reliability threats from climate change-induced natural disasters, and a changing energy mix, we need to build out transmission capacity faster than we have before. Without robust community engagement, grid projects stall for years, leaving ratepayers with higher energy bills and reduced reliability.
- Through 150 interviews spanning 13 states and 15 transmission projects, Josh learned that there are four main issues driving how local communities might support or oppose a transmission project, which are further explored in the report:
- Harm: How will this negatively impact my life?
- Need: Why is this project even needed?
- Consultation: How will I be consulted?
- Compensation: How will I be compensated?
- Regulations should require community engagement early and often, including all stakeholders, not just landowners or formal decisionmakers.
- Eminent domain should be used as sparingly as possible, and if it is necessary, landowners should be compensated at a much higher rate than fair market value.
- To avoid the need for eminent domain, states can pass policies to allow and prioritize building new transmission lines on existing electricity and transportation rights of way.
- While current transmission siting prioritizes the most efficient corridor to site a new line, developers should listen to landowners about their perspective on which part of their land would be best to build on, which can reduce legal costs, delays, and trust or perception issues down the line.
- Improving local understanding of anticipated tax revenues can help ensure that communities see the benefit of new infrastructure. Only one-fifth of county commissioners interviewed for this research felt confident that they could track expected tax revenue from specific projects. States can consider simplifying the tax code or creating clear resources for local stakeholders to track their revenue.
- Collective negotiations, where landowners negotiate with developers as a group, can be mutually beneficial. Developers can streamline engagement and standardize easements, and landowners have increased negotiating power and higher easement prices.
Lessons Learned from the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority’s Community Engagement Principles
Learn more by watching the webinar at 22:18.
Maury Galbraith provided insights from his work leading the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority (CETA) in developing and socializing community engagement principles for transmission development that prioritize local needs from the start. Highlights from his presentation include:
- Background: CETA is a quasi-governmental entity with a mission to plan and develop electric transmission in Colorado, aiming to increase reliability, help meet the state’s clean energy goals, and aid in economic and community development.
- Utilizing public input and a robust literature review, CETA developed community engagement principles that serve as minimum requirements for all project partners when developing transmission projects.
- Information Sharing: All partners must engage in an open exchange of information about projects and impacts, including transparent process documentation, the development of a publicly accessible repository of project information, and timely notifications of all meetings and public engagement opportunities.
- Communication: All partners must conduct early, responsive, and inclusive communication with local communities, including the implementation of a comprehensive engagement plan that details strategies to actually engage diverse communities, going beyond a simple public notification.
- Community Benefits: Partners should provide fair and consistent landowner compensation and third-party advisory services for communities to navigate benefit negotiations, as well as prioritizing communities’ self-determination of benefits.
- Accountability: All partners must follow through on the benefits promised to communities, including through post-construction monitoring and enforcement of project commitments, as well as the development of robust dispute resolution processes.
- To ensure these requirements are enforced, CETA has met with developers and made it clear that they are willing to walk away from a partnership if these principles are not met. They’re also conducting outreach to discuss and socialize these principles with local communities and governments, establishing early expectations for meaningful engagement and commitment.
Q&A
Learn more by watching the Q&A at 44:00.
Q: Sometimes certain stakeholders, such as landowners, are prioritized more in community engagement, compared to less formal stakeholders like residents and interest groups. How can we ensure that everyone in the community is consulted and prioritized?
Q: Could investing in distributed generation or underground transmission lines reduce local opposition while meeting our energy needs? Why are above-ground transmission lines necessary?
Q: Cost allocation for transmission, as well as the impacts on rates, is becoming more prominent in local debates. Additionally, referencing system-wide savings fall flat for local stakeholders. How can advocates navigate this issue of cost allocation and ratepayer burden?
Q: What are lessons learned from past transmission projects that were handled poorly or ultimately rejected?
