Meet Them Where They Are: Lessons Learned from the Federal Interagency Working Group on Energy Communities

The federal Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (informally, the IWG on Energy Communities) was established in 2021 to improve economic conditions in US communities that rely—or have relied—heavily on the coal, oil, and natural gas industries. This report describes the origins of the IWG and its evolution, noting challenges and offering lessons. We describe how, at the local level, changes in the energy system can have profound local economic consequences. Although a raft of new federal programs seek to transform the US energy sector and provide more equitable economic outcomes, numerous barriers make it difficult for fossil fuel–dependent communities to access new federal resources. To bridge this divide, the IWG has sought to address the needs of affected communities, but this work requires significant time and effort to build relationships and work toward solutions. We find that expanding the IWG and providing it with additional resources would improve its ability to enhance economic outcomes in fossil fuel–dependent communities.