Several federal agencies participate in the siting and regulation of LNG import facilities. These include: the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U. S. Coast Guard, and the U. S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). (Siting and construction of LNG peak shaving facilities is generally accomplished through processes established under State laws and regulations.)
What FERC does:
- Considers applications for the construction of onshore LNG marine terminals and offshore LNG terminals in state waters;
- Conducts a comprehensive analysis of each application as required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
- Conducts engineering and design reviews of proposed facilities;
- Confirms that proposed sites have adequate thermal radiation and vapor exclusion zones.
What the Coast Guard does:
- Works with FERC on the NEPA analysis as a cooperating agency;
- Addresses LNG tanker safety standards and the suitability of affected waterways for LNG transport operations;
- Has jurisdictional responsibility for LNG facilities "in, or adjacent to, navigable waters up to the last valve before the receiving tanks".
What MARAD does:
- Considers applications for the construction of deepwater marine terminals (outside state waters);
What PHMSA does:
- Through its Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), PHMSA works with the Coast Guard and the states in both FERC and MARAD siting processes, to determine jurisdictional responsibility relating to pipelines associated with LNG facilities;
- Administers existing pipeline safety regulations concerning the siting of LNG facilities;
- Works with stakeholder groups such as the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to improve standards related to LNG safety, and to develop educational and training materials for first responders concerning LNG terminals and tanker safety issues;
- Sponsors research to improve computer modeling of LNG releases from terminals and tankers, and to develop protocols for risk assessment of LNG transport and storage;
- Coordinates and hosts workshops that identify what communities need to know about how LNG can be transported and stored safely.