opening plenary 10.26.12

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Deborah Donovan

Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC

Ian Baring-Gould

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Bob Grace

Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC

Stacie Smith

Consensus Building Institute

October 26, 2012


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Acknowledgements

Introduce Workshop Leaders

Hear about

Genesis of the New England Wind Forum The development of the workshop

Review the agenda and how well proceed

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Sponsors: U.S. Department of Energy - Wind Powering America

Initative (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

Ad Hoc Planning Committee Thanks also for contributions of $100-$250 to

covering basic necessities/expenses to Union of Concerned Scientists

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Eolian Renewable Energy Boreal Renewable Energy Development

(+ 2 anonymous donors)

Our Host: Mt. Wachusett Community College

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Deborah Donovan, Sustainable EnergyAdvantage

Ian Baring-Gould, National Renewable Energy

Lab Bob Grace, Sustainable Energy Advantage

Stacie Smith, Consensus Building Institute

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Initiative of the US Department ofEnergy Wind and Water Power

Program

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Mission: Educate, engage and enable critical stakeholders to makeinformed decisions about how wind energy contributes tothe U.S. electricity supply

Objectives: Disseminate accurate and needed information Build and support a diverse partner network Continually evaluate effectiveness

Outputs:

WPA E-newsletter

Active website (Events, news, recent publications)

Audio interviews

Monthly recorded webinar series

Educational programs www.windpoweringamerica.gov


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Context for the Day: Wind energy deployment impacts local communities in positive and negative

ways that are not felt equally

Many communities are being asked to consider the deployment of wind energytechnology

Communities need good information in order to make informed decisionsregarding wind deployment

The wide diversity of available information and lack of methods to determine the

quality of that information makes it vary hard for community leaders andconcerned citizens to determine if wind development is appropriate

Hopes for the Day: Move closer to common ground understanding that not everyone will or has to

agree

Identify the most important topical areas where additional information would behelpful

Determine criteria which could be used to determine sources of goodinformation

Understand what formats of information are best suited to support local decisionmakers and the public in making educated decisions about wind deployment

Understand who can help support the development and distribution of theseinformational products

Emotions are high but the only method that will allow a viable solution isCivil Dialogue

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Objective: Provide siting decision-makers &thepotentially-impacted public with objective [legitimate,credible and salient] information on which to makeinformed decisions about proposed wind energy projects

throughout New England by:

Philosophy/Perspective: Wind Energy has benefits, but

Not every place is the right place for wind generation.

Impacts of wind power are rarely as dire, or as free of

consequences, as those who look to influence decisionsone way or another may represent.

Good InfoGood Decisions

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NGO/Community

16 orgs; 17 total

Wide variety of perspectives

State Govt:

MA,RI,VT,NH,CT

11 orgs, 19 total Regional or Local

Govt/Board:

6, in 3 states

Ideally wed have more

Academic & Research Labs incl. 2 Federal labs

5 orgs, 6 total

Professional Neutrals:

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Service Providers

Legal, consulting, & SEA(workshop organizers)

12 orgs, 14 total Wind developer/owner

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w/ projects in 4 states

Media

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we tried tough inelection season!

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2 stages

Invited, Planners, Speakers & Moderators NGOs (11), State & Regional Govt (18), Academic & Research(4), Professional

Neutrals (2), Other planners/speakers (7)

Applicants (thank you) & screening process (approx 2:1)

Invitations to apply NEWEEP webinar & conf. participants (~1000 people)

Range of goals, including

Convene a balanced & diverse gathering via a combination of: Assuring broad participation from govt officials & local siting decision makers

Diversity

Avoiding redundancy

Preventing imbalance of perspectives

Including those with ability to constructively contribute to workshop:

Acknowledge workshops premise

Relevant experience, quality of essay response

Focus: use of credible, legitimate & salient info, not specific issue, impact, project

Not including those holding view that: wind is unnecessary, or

wind has negligible impacts /appropriate wherever it meets current legal/reg. guidelines

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Citizens & decision makers where wind projects proposedare often having their opinions & decisions influenced by Legitimate questions and concerns of potential host communities

Commercial interests of proponents and opponents

Entities & sources insideand outsideof the community

Info intended to influencevs. intended to inform

Comprehensivevs. selectiveuse of/presentation of data

Info which distortsor incites fear

Politicsand PR

Often by whatever info gets to them first, from whatever source

Press: Tendency towards the sensationalistic

Influenced by info in similar ways

Have the power to amplify, clarify or confuse

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Good info = to inform vs. to influence?

not selective?

available (at the right time)?

Helpful?

Good decisions = Robust?

Involve reference to accurate, legitimate, credible info, etc.

But also take other things into account as well

Information is not the whole picture Interests. Values. Other things matter in addition.

Info shouldnt be the tool used to argue about other issues.

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8:30 Opening Plenary

9:00 Panel I:The Use of Information in Wind Siting - Lessons from the Field

10:15 Break

10:30 Breakout A: The Use of Information in Wind Siting -

Identification, Categorization and Prioritization11:45 Lunch

12:45 Panel II:Developing Information in Wind Siting - Joint Fact-finding andStakeholder Engagement Models

1:45 Breakout B: Developing Information in Wind Siting OvercomingObstacles and Setting Priorities

3:00 Break

3:15 Closing Plenary: Putting Ideas Into Action

4:30 Close

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Be Open

Be Respectful

Be Interactive

Share the Floor

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Cell phones off

Rest Rooms

Lunch in Cafeteria

Role of the Workshop Facilitator

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opening plenary 10.26.12

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