Energy Communities Alliance publishes recommendations for Trump transition team

The Energy Communities Alliance, an organization whose members include local governments adjacent to or affected by U.S. Department of Energy activities, has submitted its transition priorities and recommendations for the incoming Trump administration. They are included in “A Roadmap for Successful Local Government and Community Engagement.”

The document includes nine key priorities, each with their own set of recommendations, for the new administration to adopt as it engages in discussions regarding ongoing U.S. Department of Energy operations and performance, a press release said.

Here are the nine priorities, grouped into three areas:

1. Involve local governments in DOE decision making
   • Work with communities and Congress to ensure adequate cleanup funding; and
   • Engage local governments in nuclear waste management and disposal policies.
2. Improve DOE policies and practices
   • Integrate ECA’s acquisition reform recommendations and principles;
   • Clarify DOE’s existing high-level nuclear waste definition; and
   • Optimize intra-agency cooperation and communication at DOE.
3.  Invest in host communities and the DOE complex
   • Resolve the maintenance and infrastructure backlog;
   • Address succession planning and looming workforce transition issues;
   • Enhance host community support and property transfer; and
   • Support the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

 “As the only national organization representing DOE host communities and consisting of local elected officials and community leaders, ECA is uniquely poised to offer expert input on DOE activities and provide a common voice for local communities’ ‘customer’ perspective,” the press release said. “ECA has a successful track record of working with DOE to achieve solutions which mutually benefit DOE host communities, the federal government’s national security and economic interests, and the American taxpayer.”

The press release said ECA is prepared to assist the new administration with the development and implementation of each priority and recommendation.

You can read the full paper here.

In other news, in February, ECA will host the first national meeting with the new administration, focusing on the DOE Offices of Environmental Management and Nuclear Energy, and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The meeting, titled “Meeting the New Administration: Addressing Community Priorities and Securing Progress,” is scheduled from February 23-24, 2017, in Washington, D.C. For more information and to register, click here.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the meeting, you can contact Megan Casper at (202) 828-2410 or [email protected].

Roane County Executive Ron Woody is currently secretary of the ECA.

More information will be added as it becomes available.