Energy Infrastructure
Comprehensive Federal, State & Local Permitting
Virtually all installations of energy infrastructure require some amount of permitting, regardless of project size. Depending on the specifics of the project, permits may be required from agencies or regulators at the Federal, State, or Local level. EARTHRES has significant, direct experience in the energy facilities permitting field. Let us show you how we can navigate the permitting minefield to a successful permit issuance.
The level of permitting effort required for a project is generally related to the project’s size, the number of affected stakeholders, and whether the project is subject to federal, state, or local permitting. Midstream projects that involve interstate Transmission pipelines generally involve all governmental levels (federal/state/local) and a broad array of stakeholders. Large projects may take years to secure all of the required permits. Conversely, upstream projects that propose a single well pad affecting fifteen total acres of land disturbance and are subject only to state and local permitting may secure all of the required permits for construction in six months or less. EARTHRES brings first-hand experience working directly with regulators and permitting agencies to your project.
Facility Construction Permitting
Facilities that require the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from either a state agency or a federal agency have specific requirements on the information that must be provided with the Permit Application. These requirements focus primarily on the commercial, technical, social, and environmental impacts the proposed project will have. Within these four focus areas the social area (i.e., “how might the project affect me”), and the environmental area (i.e., “how much land is going to be disturbed and what will the emissions be”) are the areas where the majority of permitting is required. At EARTHRES, our team of permitting experts know and understand the permit requirements. They work with the project’s engineers, designers, and any specialized third-party consultants to prepare the permit applications completely and correctly, minimizing permit review and issuance duration.
The table below is representative of the type and scope of permits that are typically required for projects seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The permits are all associated with facility construction only and do not include permits required for operation and maintenance. This list is an example only and is for a project that would involve multiple states. While this list is reasonably complete it is not all-inclusive.
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Permit Types
Download a pdf of this comprehensive certificate of public convenience and permit list.
With the exception of the federal Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Application, EARTHRES has experience with and can prepare, support reviewer inquiries, submit, receive and recommend Owner acceptance or rejection of all of the permits and applications listed in the table. Whether Upstream, Midstream or Downstream, our first-hand experience with engineering and designing facilities for which the permits and applications would be submitted positions us to fully understand how a facility design can affect the issuance of a permit. This, in turn, allows us to factor permit requirements into the project’s design so that construction permits are simpler to acquire.
Once a facility is constructed and ready for commissioning and operation it is typical for additional permits and authorizations to be required to permit operation. These operational permits are generally limited to equipment that produces emissions during operation. Within the energy sector, much of the equipment utilized in the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments produces exhaust or other emissions. Dehydration systems, fired heaters, and reciprocating engine or turbine-driven compressors are but a few examples of operating equipment that produces emissions. EARTHRES has the resources to support the acquisition of permits to install and permits to operate the emissions-producing equipment. We use GRI-GLYCalcTM, PROMaxTM, and other modeling software as required by permit application. We permit projects that meet both “minor source” and “major source” thresholds as those terms are used in the Clean Air Act for “stationary sources” and the New Source Review rules. We are experts in permitting facilities subject to Title V requirements. Let us permit your next energy facility.
