Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy

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This study examines various forms of coordinating permit offices at the state and federal level in the western United States, discusses inefficiencies and mitigation techniques for permitting natural resource projects, analyzes whether various approaches are easily adaptable to utility-scale geothermal development, and ad- dresses advantages and challenges for coordinating permit offices.

Key successful strategies identified include:
- Flexibility in implementing the approach (i.e. less statutory requirements for the approach);
- Less dependence on a final environmental review for information sharing and permit coordination; and
- State and federal partnerships developed through memorandum of understanding to define roles and share data and/or developer information.

A few of the most helpful techniques include:
- A central point of contact for the developer to ask questions surrounding the project;
- Pre-application meetings to assist the developer in identifying all of the permits, regulatory approvals, and associated information or data required;
- A permit schedule or timeline to set expectations for the developer and agencies; and
- Consolidating the public notice, comment, and hearing period into fewer hearings held concurrently.

This submission includes a paper and presentation for the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) detailing the development of this project.

Citation Formats

TY - DATA AB - This study examines various forms of coordinating permit offices at the state and federal level in the western United States, discusses inefficiencies and mitigation techniques for permitting natural resource projects, analyzes whether various approaches are easily adaptable to utility-scale geothermal development, and ad- dresses advantages and challenges for coordinating permit offices. Key successful strategies identified include: - Flexibility in implementing the approach (i.e. less statutory requirements for the approach); - Less dependence on a final environmental review for information sharing and permit coordination; and - State and federal partnerships developed through memorandum of understanding to define roles and share data and/or developer information. A few of the most helpful techniques include: - A central point of contact for the developer to ask questions surrounding the project; - Pre-application meetings to assist the developer in identifying all of the permits, regulatory approvals, and associated information or data required; - A permit schedule or timeline to set expectations for the developer and agencies; and - Consolidating the public notice, comment, and hearing period into fewer hearings held concurrently. This submission includes a paper and presentation for the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) detailing the development of this project. AU - Young, Katherine A2 - Levine, Aaron A3 - Witherbee, Kermit DB - Geothermal Data Repository DP - Open EI | National Renewable Energy Laboratory DO - KW - geothermal KW - energy KW - utility-scale KW - power plant KW - regulation KW - policy KW - coordinating permit offices KW - permit KW - permitting KW - regulatory KW - regulatory roadmap KW - RAPID KW - BLM KW - Hawaii KW - Alaska KW - environmental KW - EA KW - Bureau of Land Management KW - Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap KW - GRR KW - adaptability LA - English DA - 2013/09/30 PY - 2013 PB - National Renewable Energy Laboratory T1 - Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy UR - https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261 ER -
Export Citation to RIS
Young, Katherine, et al. Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 30 September, 2013, Geothermal Data Repository. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261.
Young, K., Levine, A., & Witherbee, K. (2013). Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy. [Data set]. Geothermal Data Repository. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261
Young, Katherine, Aaron Levine, and Kermit Witherbee. Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, September, 30, 2013. Distributed by Geothermal Data Repository. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261
@misc{GDR_Dataset_1261, title = {Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy}, author = {Young, Katherine and Levine, Aaron and Witherbee, Kermit}, abstractNote = {This study examines various forms of coordinating permit offices at the state and federal level in the western United States, discusses inefficiencies and mitigation techniques for permitting natural resource projects, analyzes whether various approaches are easily adaptable to utility-scale geothermal development, and ad- dresses advantages and challenges for coordinating permit offices.

Key successful strategies identified include:
- Flexibility in implementing the approach (i.e. less statutory requirements for the approach);
- Less dependence on a final environmental review for information sharing and permit coordination; and
- State and federal partnerships developed through memorandum of understanding to define roles and share data and/or developer information.

A few of the most helpful techniques include:
- A central point of contact for the developer to ask questions surrounding the project;
- Pre-application meetings to assist the developer in identifying all of the permits, regulatory approvals, and associated information or data required;
- A permit schedule or timeline to set expectations for the developer and agencies; and
- Consolidating the public notice, comment, and hearing period into fewer hearings held concurrently.

This submission includes a paper and presentation for the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) detailing the development of this project.}, url = {https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261}, year = {2013}, howpublished = {Geothermal Data Repository, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1261}, note = {Accessed: 2025-05-08} }

Details

Data from Sep 30, 2013

Last updated Oct 20, 2020

Submitted Oct 13, 2020

Organization

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Contact

Katherine Young

303.384.7402

Authors

Katherine Young

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Aaron Levine

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Kermit Witherbee

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

DOE Project Details

Project Name Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap

Project Lead Tim Reinhardt

Project Number FY13 AOP 4.1

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