RIA on Standards for Community Engagement for New Development Projects

The main goal of the project is to contribute to adopting standards that ensure meaningful community engagement that in itself ensures smooth implementation of projects while respecting the rights and interests of the directly and indirectly affected stakeholders. Accordingly, we will conduct a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) on the community engagement standards (CES) for new development projects.

More specifically, PMCG, as part of a consortium led by Deloitte, under the USAID Energy Security Program, will undertake the following activities:

• Review the relevant EU directives, proposed energy laws and appropriate existing secondary legislation in Georgia;
• For international markets, conduct a review of similar power solicitations for capacity, long-term contracts, and reliability of must-run contracts as well as any format providing guaranteed supply;
• Consult with stakeholders formally;
• Elaborate a report that covers possible proposed standards for community engagement, including but not limited to:

  • Communications, local meetings, comment acquisitions and responses, and dispute resolution;
  • Public notices, timing, and media channels;
  • Ensuring actual involvement and engagement of the community;
  • Raising awareness about the process;
  • Composing an inventory of land and resource rights;
  • Carrying out physical demarcation of the land and delineation of boundaries;
  • Ensuring relevant documents are reviewed and agreed upon by the relevant community and the Government;
  • Overseeing the formation of community land management committees;
  • If relevant, ensuring title to the community land is conferred to the management committee; and
  • Environmental protection.

• Define different scenarios or community engagement mechanisms; and
• Assess economic, social, and environmental impacts of the different scenarios.