Current Initiatives

Developing and sharing community best practices In response to nuclear power plant closures

Under a Cooperative Agreement (Award # ED18HDQ3030014) from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, the Collaborative recently completed a project researching and developing community best practices in response to nuclear power plant closures.

The scope can be found below.

Check back soon for the release of our final report.

Project Scope

The Scope of Work will:

  • Increase cohesiveness between and among NPP stakeholders;
  • Enhance interagency understanding of NPP stakeholder issues; and,
  • Improve coordination and effectiveness of federal programs to address NPP stakeholder needs.
  1. Project Launch

Objective: Establish a common understanding with EDA regarding project priorities and goals, objectives and particulars for this cooperative agreement.

Tasks:

  • Develop and recruit a project-specific national advisory committee from a diverse cross-section of NPP stakeholders.
  • Finalize Project Workplan.
  1. Executive Branch Roundtable & Working Group

Objective: Assist EDA in working across the executive branch to identify areas of common purpose leading to the development of coordinated strategies and mutually reinforcing objectives to assist affected communities.

Tasks:

  • Facilitated one-day interagency roundtable with representatives of EDA, NRC, DOE and other members of the Executive Branch.
  1. Intake and Outreach with Affected NPP Stakeholders

Objective: Undertake awareness building, data collection and develop preliminary insights from key stakeholders across the country who are or have been engaged in NPP decommissioning processes.

Tasks:

  • Establish and implement a public communications campaign and undertake project branding through development of customized website and corresponding social media campaigns as appropriate. Project website will also serve as a virtual library, information repository and resource center for project documentation and other related resources. Allow communities to contribute to project website via curated “open source” formatting.
  • Conduct field visits at a representative sample of NPPs from the following categories:
    • Decommissioned NPPs, NPPs undergoing decommissioning, and NPPs with closure announced but yet to begin decommissioning.
  • Conduct face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders at each of these sites. Anticipated interviewees include: Economic Development Districts and/or Organizations, local elected officials, plant owner / utility representatives, members of the public, local and state regulators and state elected officials.
  • Produce “Interim Report on Nuclear Power Plant Closures and Community Issues / Impacts”
  1. National NPP Stakeholder Webinar

Objective: Disseminate the findings and recommendations included in the “Interim Report on Nuclear Power Plant Closures and Community Issues / Impacts” to the NPP stakeholder community. 

Tasks:

  • Design a 90-minute national webinar for NPP stakeholders.
  • Brand the webinar and engage in social and earned media efforts to market and build event awareness and maximize participation of NPP stakeholders.
  • Recruit and secure leading subject matter experts from DOE, NRC, EDA and others to offer an objective assessment of issues facing NPP communities.
  1. Qualitative, Non-Standard Interviews of NPP Stakeholders

Objective: Subsequent to the national webinar, gain further feedback and input from a small number (less than 10) of NPP stakeholders to bolster findings and develop more nuanced insights surrounding the socioeconomic dynamics of NPP closure.

Tasks:

  • Develop qualitative non-standard interview format
  • Suggested areas of inquiry may include:
    • Common themes surrounding NPP closure; Nature and extent of resource needs
    • Internal capacity issues; Best practices and information sharing
    • Community-to-community networking; Inter-governmental relationship dynamics
  1. Regional Summit(s)

Objective: Building on the model of EDA’s Regional Economic Diversification Summits, host one similar summit in up to three EDA Regions.    

Tasks:

  • Synthesize and coalesce project learning to date.
  • Seek to work in representation of all six EDA Regional Offices in summit effort.
  • Hold and brand at least one Summit (of the REDS format) in up to three of the six EDA Regions.
  1. Prepare and Deliver Final Report

Objective: Prepare and submit final report with recommendations to EDA.

Tasks:

  • Compile all field interviews and webinar feedback
  • Synthesize data and develop findings and recommended actions to support and enhance collaborative working relationships among NPP stakeholders to inform the effective and strategic investment of federal government resources.
  • Publication of project findings, report and other resources in a virtual library on a project website.

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