Abstract

Public Comment Tracking: An Organizational Necessity
Track: Electric Utilities
Authors: William Chester

Tracking comments made by members of the public during the planning process of a transmission line project has often been an arduous and fruitless task. The old method involved spreadsheets and folders filled with information. In addition, the old method did not view comments as valuable data, but instead, just as individual pieces of text. Although the comments have been organized, they provided no other benefit to Xcel Energy employees or local officials. Using ArcMap, each comment is assigned a spatial location, allowing users to analyze the spatial information identifying locations of heightened contention. This analysis allows the project team to assess the public's concerns, and tailor future outreach materials and responses to these concerns. Having this personalized response to concerns creates an opportunity for understanding between the utility and members of the public.