Community Engagement and �Key Messages

Presentation Slides:�cclusa.org/community-engagement-slides

May 7th, 2026

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About Our Speakers

VP of Gov’t Affairs Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Research Manager Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Learning Goals

1. Understand why community engagement is a critical part of the permitting process

2. Learn about the policy proposals to improve community engagement in the permitting process

3. Explore the key messages for different political parties

Community Engagement Background

What is Community Engagement?

Community engagement is the process of early communication between project developers, governments, and local communities to:

• Share information transparently
• Understand local concerns and priorities
• Identify opportunities for mutual benefit
• Improve project design and outcomes; �reconsider project if community needs aren’t met
• Help ensure decisions can be made with clarity and confidence

Why Is Engagement Important?

• Community engagement helps to foster a trusted environment of community “buy-in”
• This can result in better project planning
• When project developers don’t engage with communities, it can create negative sentiments and outcomes

Ensures projects reflect community needs and helps prevent harmful projects from moving forward

Creates a stronger foundation for timely, durable decisions

What Goes Wrong Without Engagement?

Without the early, ongoing communication between project developers, governments, and local communities:

• Communities feel blindsided, distrust grows
• Misinformation fills the gap
• Projects face delays, lawsuits, or cancellation
• Negative community sentiments can even translate into local technology bans

What Goes Wrong Without Clear Endpoints?

Without clear and firm endpoints within the community engagement process:

• Projects can get stuck in prolonged uncertainty
• Repeated engagement without resolution can erode trust in communities
• Delays increase costs and slow needed infrastructure
• Lack of decision clarity can lead to more conflict, not less

Growing Community Opposition

Communities across the United States increasingly oppose new local projects:

• Over 500 solar projects
• Over 270 data centers
• Over 250 wind farms

Opposition is driven not just by the project itself, but by how and when communities are engaged

Relation to NEPA Reform

• NEPA says relatively little about community engagement
• Federal regulations encouraged engagement, but those are gone now
• Requiring comment submission in order to establish standing to sue would also mandate community engagement

Reversed Party Perspectives

• To let a permit stand requires trusting federal agency bureaucrats
• Democrats are usually the party favoring agency expertise; Republicans tend to be suspicious of bureaucrats
• With permitting, Republicans tend to support letting the agency decision stand; Democrats want to challenge it
• Community engagement goal: strike a balance

Striking the Right Balance

• Strong community engagement is essential
• But engagement must be timely and structured
• Projects need clear points where decisions are made

A good system:

• Takes input seriously
• Improves or rejects bad projects
• Allows well-vetted projects to move forward

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Recognition of its Importance

There was broad agreement that early and trusted community engagement is an effective tool in reducing permitting delays.”

– BPC Expert Roundtable

Engagement Policy Proposals

Community Benefits Agreements

• Voluntary contract between project developer and community coalitions
• Can include benefits like:
• Local hiring and workforce development
• Affordable housing
• Green spaces or environmental protections
• Can reduce community opposition by aligning project benefits with community needs

Community Engagement Ideas

• Establish and fund unbiased third parties to perform community education and engagement on energy technologies
• Establish a monitoring committee for individual projects comprised of local stakeholders that ensures standards are met
• Direct federal agencies to prioritize early engagement and consensus building

Effective engagement should be early, inclusive, and time-bound

Community Engagement Ideas

• Create a government entity responsible for extensive community information hearings to address public comments and concerns
• Establish an online clearinghouse for community engagement opportunity info
• Establish commissions to advise agencies on the design, implementation, and evaluation of public participation processes
• Establish clear timelines and decision points for engagement processes

Key Messages

Key Messages on these Reforms

Topline Message: Early, structured engagement reduces costly delays and litigation

• Getting input early is more efficient than fixing problems later
• Clear timelines on input help avoid endless delays and uncertainty
• Strong community engagement leads to better projects and faster decisions
• Predictable processes reduce conflict and litigation risk

Key Messages on these Reforms

Topline Message: Permitting reform gives us the chance to ensure communities have a meaningful voice and decisions are made responsibly

• These projects are happening and we have a chance now to give communities a voice to avoid harm and improve outcomes
• Early engagement ensures projects reflect local needs and priorities
• Clear decision points ensure accountability and follow-through
• Doing nothing keeps a system that fails both communities and clean energy progress

Upcoming Permitting Reform Trainings

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Key Permitting Messages

Thursday, May 28th

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All trainings at 8pm ET / 5pm PT �Recordings will be posted on CCL Community afterwards.

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