When a community sheds the long-time burden of a major polluter, it’s usually something to celebrate. But what happens next isn’t always so simple, especially if that polluter provided jobs and taxes. Ensuring that locals have a say in how their communities recover helps ensure what advocates call a “just transition.”

In its series Extreme Community Makeovers, the nonprofit environmental-focused publication Grist looks at success stories and some places hoping for more progress. Each community’s experience provides lessons for others.

Check out the series.