Unveiling and Explaining the Procedural Justice in the Policy Design of Renewable Energy Siting Process in the United States

AbstractSocial justice is a fundamental value in public policy, but empirically examining this intricate concept remains a persistent challenge. Recent studies have made early attempts to examine how policy design choices consider distributive justice but have overlooked how procedural justice considerations have been integrated into policy designs. Drawing on policy design and participatory governance literature, this study develops a procedural justice score to empirically measure and compare policy design features of renewable energy siting policies across U.S. states. We focus on policy goals, settings, and calibrations of policy instruments, and the congruence between policy goals and instruments. We do not find consistent policy congruence, which implies that policymakers can view procedural justice as both a normative goal associated with democratic ideals and an instrumental goal facilitating a successful and sustainable energy transition. While most states fall short in designing a fair, inclusive, and participatory process, there is a growing trend toward adopting participatory approaches in renewable siting.