Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are legal frameworks that can make private industries liable for doing right by the communities they build in. Public support is everything when it comes to large scale developments in communities, and CBAs are used to exchange that support for tangible benefits like funding, local jobs, infrastructure, or programs of the community’s determination.
We’ll discuss best practices for CBAs, their strengths and limitations, as well as a case study on the ongoing effort for CBA on the proposed Starfire Solar Project in Eastern Kentucky.
Featuring:
Matthew Benedict '25
Fall 2025 graduate Matthew Benedict (BA in Energy Policy and Management) is currently in his second year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Eastern Kentucky, where he is coordinating efforts to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement between a large solar farm developer and the community in which it will be located. Matthew will be speaking about the experience on February 24 for the IES Speaker Series.
Brought to you by:
Institute for Energy Studies, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni
Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are legal frameworks that can make private industries liable for doing right by the communities they build in. Public support is everything when it comes to large scale developments in communities, and CBAs are used to exchange that support for tangible benefits like funding, local jobs, infrastructure, or programs of the community’s determination.
We’ll discuss best practices for CBAs, their strengths and limitations, as well as a case study on the ongoing effort for CBA on the proposed Starfire Solar Project in Eastern Kentucky.
Featuring:
Matthew Benedict '25
Fall 2025 graduate Matthew Benedict (BA in Energy Policy and Management) is currently in his second year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Eastern Kentucky, where he is coordinating efforts to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement between a large solar farm developer and the community in which it will be located. Matthew will be speaking about the experience on February 24 for the IES Speaker Series.
Brought to you by:
Institute for Energy Studies, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni
