BCSE is hosting a workshop on “Engaging Communities in the Energy Transition” at the beginning of the Climate Leadership Conference (CLC) on May 21 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm ET in partnership with Edison Electric Institute.

The workshop will explore how recent U.S. federal legislation, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), is offering new and expanded funding opportunities for states, local governments, and community organizations to partner on energy, climate, and resilience projects. To access this funding, clear and comprehensive community engagement plans are often required. This roundtable discussion will explore strategies to improve and create successful partnerships to advance the energy transition and meet the specific needs of the community, as well as approaches to developing community benefit plans.

The workshop will provide the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the landscape of community engagement and what it means for the energy transition;
• Learn about the purpose and practice of designing and implementing community benefit plans;
• Share their experience and hear from other community and corporate leaders on best practices as well as challenges of community engagement.

Featured speakers include:

• Bobby Boyd, Management and Program Analyst – Community Engagement, Midwest Region, U.S. Department of Energy
• Jasmine Chiu, Manager, U.S. Program, America Is All In, RMI
• Miquela Craytor, Vice President, Kearns & West
• Jennifer Garson, Senior Vice President, Boundary Stone
• Anand Natarajan, Assistant Director, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland
• Cai Steger, Director of Policy Research, BW Research Partnership
• Carla Walker, U.S. Director, Environmental Justice and Equity, World Resources Institute