Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal Dimensions (2024)

APPENDIX I

Public Engagement Scorecard: Current Federal Policy Portfolio

Through a thorough analysis of the executive orders (EOs) and major legislative actions taken since 2021, the committee developed Table I-1, a public engagement scorecard of the current federal policy portfolio compared against the public engagement objectives detailed in the committee’s first report.

TABLE I-1 Public Engagement Scorecard of the Current Federal Policy Portfolio Compared Against Public Engagement Objectives from the Committee’s First Report

Public Engagement Objective	EOs	IIJA	IRA	Other
Prevent Misinformation
Expand and tighten financial disclosure and transparency requirements.	a	b	c	d
Enable the cross-flow of information across diverse communities and value systems through new forms of social interaction that provide a foundation basis of trust.		e
Engage the Public in the Design and Deliberation of Decarbonization Pathways
Support high-profile regional, bidirectional dialogue and listening sessions that connect national policy making with local communities.	f			g
Design strategies that are sensitive and responsive to local and contextual factors, including through the incorporation of the public’s perceptions of costs and benefits.		h
Engage with the public significantly in advance of proposed technological changes.	i			j
Support Multifaceted Coordination for Decarbonization Actions
Engage with younger populations with well-designed public engagement opportunities.
Establish state energy transition offices to support statewide, cross-sectoral coordination.
Enable mayors, governors, and industry leaders to identify, deliberate, and solve cross-border problems and address regional infrastructure needs.				k
Support local transition planning, community-based action, and community benefits.		l	m
Set Standards for Public Participation
Require a role for representatives of disadvantaged populations in advisory boards and other influential bodies to enable them to participate in meaningful ways.	n	o
Invest in comprehensive education and training opportunities focused on energy transitions.		p	q	r
Set and enforce rules for inclusive public participation in the siting of decarbonization infrastructure.	s		t	u
Support local, state, and regional decision-making for transition planning through robust data, modeling, and knowledge infrastructure.	v	w	x	y

^a See EO 14030 (2021).

^b See IIJA §27001 and §11132.

^c See IRA §40003, §60111, §60112, and §60115.

^d The Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed rule on climate-related disclosures (with potential litigation risk due to Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA) (SEC 2022a,b; Uslaner and Horowitz 2022).

^e See IIJA §60102 and §60201; IIJA §11201 and §30002 include the use of social media and other web-based tools to encourage public participation.

^f EO 14008 (2021) established the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

^g See Federal Interagency Thriving Communities Network (DOT 2023).

^h IIJA §13009, §11401, §11509, §24102, §24112, §30002, §30003, §40321, §40806, and §70801 mention the use of public engagement but do not provide additional details about specific approaches.

ⁱ EO 14096 (2023) requires each federal agency to provide opportunities for early and meaningful involvement in the environmental review process by communities with environmental justice concerns potentially affected by a proposed action.

^j The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued guidance to responsibly develop carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), recognizing the importance of early consultation and meaningful public engagement (White House 2022).

^k See DOT (2023), and CHIPS and Science Act §10621 and §10622.

^l See IIJA §11109, §40552, §40601, and §40701.

^m See IRA §60103, §60114, §60201, and §60501.

ⁿ EO 14091 (2023) requires all federal agencies to conduct proactive engagement with members of undeserved communities; identify and develop tools and methods for engagement; create incentives and guidelines for recipients of federal funding to proactively engage with communities; identify funding opportunities for civil society organizations working in and with underserved communities; and address barriers for individuals with disabilities.

^o See IIJA §11509 and §40211. Regarding membership, the former requires “representatives of the community” on its community advisory board but does not specify socioeconomic status or expertise; the latter requires board appointees with expertise in several areas, including diversifying the workforce.

^p See IIJA §40211, §40503, §40511, §40512, §40513, and §25019.

^q See IRA §50123, §60101, and the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements in IRA §13101, §13102, §13104, §13105, and §13204.

^r See CHIPS and Science Act §10381.

^s EO 13985 charges the Office of Management and Budget with studying methods for assessing whether agency policies and actions create or exacerbate barriers to full and equal participation by all eligible individuals.

^t See IRA §22004, §50152, §60115, §60402, §60505, and §70007.

^u See DOE (n.d.), White House (2022), and FERC (n.d.).

^v Federal institutions are implementing recommendations from the Interagency Working Group on Equitable Data.

^w See IIJA §40514, §40201, and §40203.

^x See IRA §60401, §50153, and §70005.

^y See CHIPS and Science Act Title I and Title II.

NOTES: Green indicates that the objective was achieved; yellow indicates that progress was made but significant work remains; red indicates that the objective was not included in the policy and the committee will continue to advocate for the objective. EO = Executive Order; IIJA = Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; IRA = Inflation Reduction Act.

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