PhD Candidate Alicia Zhang and Lecturer Rick Reibstein presented comments to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Ph.D. Candidate Alicia Zhang and Lecturer Rick Reibstein presented comments to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council on August 18, 2021, recommending attention to the opportunity to benefit EJ communities by implementing Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), a method by which municipal governments purchase electricity in bulk for their residents. Zhang reported on what she learned investigating Boston’s program, noting that wide engagement with residents is essential, that CCAs can foster the development of local green energy, and that it would be most effective to form a coalition of CCAs to strengthen their voice and assist communities in adopting such a program. Two Council members asked follow-up questions indicating interest in their comments. Zhang’s project is summarized at www.bu.edu/rccp, the website for Reibstein’s class “Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations”.