LNG - Project Review Process - Review
Prior to any Commission decision regarding an LNG application, OEP staff prepares an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to fulfill the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of the document is to inform the public and the permitting agencies about the potential adverse and/or beneficial environmental and safety impacts of proposed projects and their alternatives.
Environmental Concerns
Typically, the NEPA documents for new LNG facilities (and major expansions of existing sites) include a more robust study of potential impacts to public safety (i.e., thermal and flammable vapor exclusion zone modeling and marine safety analysis). A large component of this analysis is accomplished under a separate Cryogenic Design Review, which runs parallel to the environmental review.
Safety Concerns
The goal of the Cryogenic Design Review is to assure the safe design of the proposed facilities and system reliability to meet the country's natural gas requirements. During this phase, OEP engineers (and consultants) perform a detailed review of the proposed LNG facility design by compiling pertinent technical information and assessing the design of the LNG facility. The information used in this study is gathered from the application, data requests, and if needed, technical conferences.
The completed pre-Certificate Cryogenic Design and Inspection Manual summarizes the design, process and equipment proposed at the LNG facility and includes staff's conclusions and recommendations concerning the proposed project. Although this document is not public information, the recommendations developed are included in the Safety section of the EA or EIS. Ultimately, these recommendations appear as conditions in any Commission Order approving the project.
Pre-Filing Assistance
Prior to a company filing an LNG-related application, company representatives commonly meet with Office of Energy Projects (OEP) staff to explain the proposal and solicit advice. These meetings provide prospective applicants the opportunity for staff to offer suggestions related to the environmental, engineering and safety features of the proposal. At this stage, staff will:
- Review conceptual designs of planned LNG facilities;
- Provide guidance on resolving potential environmental, safety, and design issues; and
- Explain the level of design detail and safety analysis required for a complete application.
In this manner, staff learns about future projects which may be filed at the Commission and help direct companies in their application preparation. This assistance is provided either informally or as part of the formal NEPA Pre-Filing Process, which is designed to reduce the amount of time required to issue an environmental impact statement once an application is made.
|
 |
|
