On behalf of Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the communities that we serve: public participation guidelines must be updated and standardized to prioritize community input and participation. This includes a standard 30 day advanced notice for public hearings, a uniform 60 day public comment period, hybrid options for submitting comments and participating in hearings, hearing venues that directly on public transportation lines, outreach materials in English and Spanish and distributed to community centers, faith centers, and public libraries, in addition to notice on broadband-dependent sources like social media and government websites. 

To further center community voices, a Regulatory Advisory Panel should be automatically created when requested by the community/a community member, not at the discretion of the board