OAR 860-300-0040: Wildfire Mitigation Plan Engagement Strategies

(1) The Public Utility must include in its Wildfire Mitigation Plan a Wildfire Mitigation Plan Engagement Strategy. The Wildfire Mitigation Plan Engagement Strategy will describe the utility’s efforts to engage and collaborate with Public Safety partners and Local Communities impacted by the Wildfire Mitigation Plan in the preparation of the Wildfire Mitigation Plan and identification of related investments and activities. The Engagement Strategy must include, at a minimum: (a) Accessible forums for engagement and collaboration with Public Safety Partners, Local Communities, and customers in advance of filing the Wildfire Mitigation Plan. The Public Utility should provide, at minimum: (A) One public information and input session hosted in each county or group of adjacent counties within reasonable geographic proximity and streamed virtually with access and functional needs considerations; and (B) One opportunity for engagement strategy participants to submit follow-up comments to the public information and input session. (b) A description of how the Public Utility designed the Wildfire Mitigation Plan Engagement Strategy to be inclusive and accessible, including consideration of multiple languages and outreach to access and functional needs populations as identified with local Public Safety Partners. (2) The Public Utility must include a plan for conducting community outreach and public awareness efforts in its Wildfire Mitigation Plan. It must be developed in coordination with Public Safety Partners and informed by local needs and best practices to educate and inform communities inclusively about wildfire risk and preparation activities. (a) The community outreach and public awareness efforts will include plans to disseminate informational materials and/or conduct trainings that cover: (A) Description of PSPS including why one would need to be executed, considerations determining why one is required, and what to expect before, during, and after a PSPS; (B) A description of the Public Utility’s wildfire mitigation strategy; (C) Information on emergency kits/plans/checklists; (D) Public Utility contact and website information. (b) In formulating community outreach and public awareness efforts, the Wildfire Mitigation Plan will also include descriptions of: (A) Media platforms and other communication tools that will be used to disseminate information to the public; (B) Frequency of outreach to inform the public; (C) Equity considerations in publication and accessibility, including, but not limited to: (i) Multiple languages prevalent to the area; (ii) Multiple media platforms to ensure access to all members of a Local Community. (3) The Public Utility must include in its Wildfire Mitigation Plan a description of metrics used to track and report on whether its community outreach and public awareness efforts are effectively and equitably reaching Local Communities across the Public Utility’s service area. (4) The Public Utility must include a Public Safety Partner Coordination Strategy in its Wildfire Mitigation Plan. The Coordination Strategy will describe how the Public Utility will coordinate with Public Safety Partners before, during, and after the fire season and should be additive to minimum requirements specified in relevant Public Safety Power Shut Off requirements described in OAR 860-300-0050. The Coordination Strategy should include, at a minimum: (a) Meeting frequency and location determined in collaboration with Public Safety Partners; (b) Tabletop Exercise plan that includes topics and opportunities to participate; (c) After action reporting plan for lessons learned in alignment with Public Safety Partner after action reporting timeline and processes.