POWER August 2015 - 68

COMMENTARY
Mary Usovicz
S
Community Engagement (On
and Offline) Can Make or
Break Your Project
ocial media is changing the role of public participation (PP)
in the planning, permitting, and licensing process (PPL) for
every energy project in the U.S. From the Keystone XL pipeline
project to Cape Wind, social media is organizing opposition faster
and elevating the community engagement part of the process to a
new, unprecedented level. Energy companies need to embrace the
newfound significance of PP in the PPL process and actively work
to coordinate the two parts in a seamless strategy or run the risk of
having projects falter before a shovel hits the ground.
To effectively join PP and PPL in the digital age, companies
must create a robust plan that incorporates the project approval
strategy with a social media presence and proactive community
engagement. Doing so before announcing a project or applying
for a permit can help gauge the temperature of a community
both online and off, identify key players, and anticipate where
opposition will originate. The process will help you control the
conversation, diminish opposition, and save time and money in
the approval process.
Here are some simple, but critical, steps energy companies
should take to develop an integrated PP and PPL plan.
Understand the Host Community and Coordinate Your Team
Research and identify the stakeholders and critical issues important
to the host community. This must be coordinated with the project's
PPL process so that the messaging and strategy are seamless. Embed
yourself in the community and learn about it. Conduct a media
audit of all relevant sources, both traditional and social. Learn how
to talk to residents on their terms, and ask questions such as:
■ Who are the city/town/county/state government officials who
will be interested in this project?
■ Who are the local leaders that act as the community's moral
compass?
■ What are the social or economic issues facing the community?
■ What are the needs of the community? (New school, bike trail,
new park?)
■ Has a project like yours been undertaken before in the community,
and to what result?
■ What are the traditional/social media outlets that inform the
community, and what are they saying about energy projects in
the community/state/nation?
Create a Plan
Building on your community research, formulate a messaging
platform that is reflected across all project communications, and
include the following.
Website/Social Media Presence. Your company should create
a website and Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts that
are dedicated specifically to the project. Update them regularly
to share information about the project. Monitor social media
continuously for chatter about your project to anticipate opposition,
questions, and concerns. Answer any and all questions. Be
responsive, provide information, and remain calm.
68
Public Engagement Plan. Offer an " open house " to meet with
residents about the project. Meet with all elected officials and
community leaders, and have one, consistent message. Listen to
their needs and respond to them in your project communications.
Community Benefits Package. Most communities are struggling
with budgetary restrictions these days. Find things the community
needs (a park, playground, or bike trail) or that it wants to clean up
(brownfield site) and incorporate that into a benefits package offered
as part of the permitting process. It will show you are dedicated to
the community and will provide incentive for approval.
Execute a Combined PP and PPL Campaign
In the age of social media, the regulatory and approval process
for energy projects needs to be run much like a political campaign.
Taking a " this is the way it is going to be " attitude will
lead to bad publicity, delays, cost overruns, and possibly loss of
the project entirely. Proper execution of your public engagement
strategy is critical. A well-run campaign will:
■ Actively listen to the community and its concerns.
■ Be open and transparent with information about the project-
especially on social media.
■ Incorporate the ideas of the community into the plan, if
warranted.
■ Educate and train project experts so they can deliver positive
messages in response to community concerns and opposition.
Identify a team of spokespeople who engage with community
groups, social institutions, local environmental groups, and
the local cable access channels.
■ Establish and maintain a social media listening project to
monitor the various platforms to ensure messaging is consistent,
questions are answered, and tabs are kept on the opposition's
messaging.
■ Amplify positive media coverage and use targeted advertising
online to promote the project.
■ Utilize key stakeholders and cultivate them as third-party
validators for your project. Having recognized leaders as supporters
is vitally important. Promote their support to your
targeted audiences.
As the world changes, the business of energy needs to change.
Managing the conversation is key in any project approval process
today. PP and PPL must be accounted for as part of one comprehensive
approach. While no plan is foolproof, success is greatly
improved by dedicating the right resources to anticipating and
finding alternatives to public stakeholder concerns. Education
and transparency are of the utmost importance when dealing
with sensitivities likely to be amplified by social media. ■
-Mary Usovicz is a vice president at TRC, a national engineering
services, consulting, and construction management firm. She
has over 30 years of experience dealing with public participation
at organizations including the Massachusetts Water Resources
Authority, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, and Repsol.
www.powermag.com
POWER | August 2015
http://www.powermag.com
POWER August 2015

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