Building a Thriving Community: Creating Supportive Policies Beyond Infrastructure

This piece is co-authored by Jamie Dickerson, Dan Sosland, and Carolyn Dykema from the Acadia Center.

Understanding the Energy is About to Shift Report

A recent report from Clean Air Task Force (CATF) and the Acadia Center highlights how community engagement will be vital for developing new clean energy generation and transmission in New England. This blog is the second in a two-part series that focuses on creating a supportive community environment for the energy transition. The first part looked at the future grid’s clean energy needs. To dive deeper, you can read the full report.

New England faces a significant challenge: transforming its energy system to meet climate goals. Most states in the region aim for an 80-100% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2050. Achieving this means moving away from old, polluting fossil fuels and creating a cleaner, electrified grid. This shift will alter the landscape and require communities to host clean energy infrastructure.

Building this infrastructure will need cooperation and trust from local communities. With over 1,300 towns and many community organizations involved, it’s crucial that residents feel they have a voice in this transition. Decisions about land use and infrastructure investment can greatly impact local air quality, costs, and community well-being. A community-centered approach is necessary to ensure active participation and meaningful input on clean energy projects.

Unfortunately, New England has struggled with community engagement in the past, leading to project failures and litigation. Various barriers exist, ranging from policy and process complications to local attitudes about clean energy. This blog will highlight important lessons learned from six case studies of clean energy projects across the region, shedding light on the successes and challenges they’ve encountered. Overall, improving engagement and permitting processes is essential to enable a cleaner energy future.

Challenges in Policy and Process

In New England, the responsibility for site approvals is often split. Smaller projects typically need local approval while larger infrastructure requires state approval. When municipalities are in charge, complicated zoning rules can hinder clean energy projects. Local officials may lack the expertise or resources to assess new technologies effectively.

Communities sometimes impose bans or moratoriums on large projects to buy time for local regulation updates. Unfortunately, this can delay clean energy development. Even when projects meet the necessary requirements, they may still face hurdles due to changing regulations or local leadership.

For projects governed by state law, there can be a lack of meaningful community engagement, lengthy review processes, and resource-strapped state agencies. However, effective state policies can still support local engagement, as shown by recent legislation in Massachusetts aimed at simplifying the permitting process and enhancing community involvement.

Opportunities for Improvement:

• Create statewide permitting reforms that prioritize community engagement.
• Streamline and expedite approval processes to enhance coordination between local and state governments.
• Increase staff capacity in permitting agencies with technical experts and resources.
• Offer technical support to local governments through training and financial incentives.

Land Use and Siting Issues

Even if a piece of land is suitable for clean energy, factors like land prices, local regulations, and competing land use can complicate site selection. Each project requires careful consideration of not only resource availability but also access to transmission lines and landowner agreements.

Land use conflicts between energy projects and other interests, like agriculture and conservation, are especially heated in New England. Developing a clean energy project can sometimes mean sacrificing valuable farmland or natural habitats.

Potential Solutions:

• Integrate clean energy planning into existing land use frameworks to align with community goals.
• Encourage low-impact development and assess cumulative impacts on communities.
• Support farmland and wildlife protections in energy project planning.

Social Barriers and Long-Term Community Impacts

New energy projects can create tension within communities if their impacts—good and bad—aren’t communicated clearly. Misinformation and lack of engagement can lead to community opposition, making future projects even harder.

Historically, reliance on fossil fuels has led to health impacts, especially in marginalized communities, creating trust issues towards energy initiatives. Reparative efforts are needed to bridge this divide.

Opportunities for Change:

• Encourage proactive communication from developers about potential impacts of projects.
• Incorporate local community input into project designs and benefit programs.
• Revise permitting processes to better accommodate the unique challenges of communities housing industrial projects.

In New England, a significant shift is needed—not only in how energy is generated but also in how communities are engaged in the process. Building the clean energy future requires trust and collaboration from local communities. Only then can we achieve a successful energy transition.