SoCalGas is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility that delivers clean, safe and reliable energy to 21.1 million consumers in more than 500 communities throughout California. The project - Angeles Link Project – it can help position California to receive federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is providing $8 billion to fund the development of four regional clean hydrogen hubs. Angeles Link can help decarbonize the state’s and the Los Angeles Basin’s energy use by providing a clean energy alternative to hard-to-electrify industries, electric generation, and the heavy-duty transportation sector, and by decreasing the reliance on natural gas in the Los Angeles Basin
The Challenge
To establish a Community Based Organization Stakeholder Group (CBOSG) to engage with stakeholders to receive technical advice and to collaborate on Project design and development.
The Strategy
Lee Andrews Group conducted a thorough analysis and outreach to identify relevant CBOs in Southern California that align with SoCalGas's goals and areas of interest. We looked for organizations focused on environmental issues, energy, sustainability, community development, and social justice. Lee Andrews Group defined the specific objectives of forming a stakeholder group, such as fostering open communication channels, gathering input, addressing community concerns, and collaborating on sustainable solutions. We set up regular communication channels to maintain ongoing dialogue with the CBO stakeholders.
The OutcomeLee Andrews Group was successful in developing a diverse list of CBOs to develop the stakeholder group. We tracked the growth in the number of organizations involved over time to assess the success of the outreach strategy. We gained a number of recommendations that were adopted or implemented as a result of stakeholder group discussions.
Increased
participation
Enhanced
communication
channels
Community
satisfaction
Increased community
awareness
Positive media
coverage