After sharing the main documents on the new plant, in order to better address the various issues and render the work of the organisation more effective, the RAB has established three internal working groups: technical issues, environmental and health issues, and communication issues. The work of these groups is ongoing, based on work plans shared with all the members of the RAB.

From its inception to the end of 2010, the RAB met publicly 41 times, once per month on average, while visiting the plant several times during the year for onsite inspections, in the construction and the operating phase of the plant. The minutes of the meetings and the onsite inspection reports are all available on the RAB website at www.rabimola.it.  Furthermore, it organises and promotes an annual public meeting for all citizens in order to present its work.

The Imola RAB promoted a study of air quality, to identify the weight of the different sources of atmospheric emissions and the impact on the health of the Imola population. The study, launched in late 2010, is a national pilot project. Funded by the Emilia-Romagna Regional Government and by the Municipality of Imola, it will be developed by Arpa and the Local Health Authority (USL) to quantify the main air pollution factors (traffic, industry, heating) and then define an evaluation model based on the emission database, useful as a support for urban planning.
Arpa is developing the part of the project that pertains to air quality and to the different emissions, analysing traffic data, monitoring units’ data, gas consumption and the environmental authorisations issued to the various industrial facilities operating in Imola. In early 2010, the survey of industrial  emissions and of methane gas users was completed. The emission points relating to fuels other than methane (e.g. LPG or diesel) and the evaluation of which contribution to attribute to small craftsmen’s facilities are currently ongoing. Traffic measurements were made in agreed areas and the flow data were requested from Autostrade S.p.A.
Lastly, the Ausl, with the collaboration of numerous family practitioners from Imola, is seeking correlations between pollution and pathologies among the population, examining a sample of about 15,000 Imola citizens, by handing out an observation sheet. This information acquisition work will continue for about a year.

The main objective of the Board is to supervise and verify the plant by analysing and listing all the specifications regarding the construction and operation of the plant, in order to assess Hera’s full compliance. It is a point of reference for citizens for the transparency of information about the plant and its impact on the city.
The data monitored by the detection devices that analyse the air quality and are installed in areas around the plant are assessed on a monthly basis and are at the disposal of the citizens of the Municipality of Imola and the RAB websites.
After a thorough investigation on the costs of district heating services, focusing on connection contributions and on the different rate options, and monitoring first the construction site and then the plant, 2010 was characterised by the promotion of a project to study air quality and its impact on the health of Imola's population, which started at the end of the year: a project on which Hera, the Municipality, Arpa and the Local Health Authorities work together in order to quantify the role of the major elements causing pollution (traffic, industry, heating, etc.) and to define an updatable assessment model based on the emissions report, which can also be used to assist in urban planning.
In November 2010, the Municipality of Imola received the 2010 Pimby Award in the energy category for Hera‘s cogeneration plant. For years, the Pimby association has monitored investments and rewarded the local authorities who complete works on their territory, coupling compliance with the rules and citizens' consensus. Therefore, the awards go to those who work to overcome the nimby (not in my backyard) syndrome, i.e. the attitude of local authorities and citizen groups which, while they do recognise their validity in general terms, are unwilling to accept the presence of works that will change their areas.