The Environmental Defense Fund and Clean Air Act Task Force have published a November 2025 report titled:
BEYOND THE WIRES: Lessons from Transmission Lines Built with Community Benefits (“Report”).
The Report describes its purpose as to summarize lessons from a set of case studies that investigated how electricity transmission projects have integrated community benefits into their development processes. The stated goal was to learn more about the nature of benefits frameworks that have led to agreements involving:
- Regulatory.
- Logistical.
- Engagement processes that led to agreements.
- Community representation in agreement negotiations.
- Degree to which frameworks result in demonstrable benefits to the community.
- Related implications on project cost and timeline.
The Report includes a number of case studies that explore transmission projects that have been completed and/or are in service.
Community benefits frameworks are argued to be emerging as a:
… powerful tool to de-risk transmission projects, offset local impacts, and help secure the trust and support needed to build critical energy infrastructure at scale.
The Report further argues that when developers:
… engage communities early and tailor benefits to local needs, they can reduce opposition, avoid costly delays, and accelerate project delivery.
Case studies included in the Report are:
- Vineyard Wind (Massachusetts)
- Big Eddy-Knight (Washington and Oregon)
- Mona to Oquirrh (Utah)
- West of Devers Upgrade (California)
- Sunrise Powerlink and Sycamore-Peñasquitos (California)
A copy of the Report can be found here.
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