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Geothermal Technologies Office

Geothermal Technologies Office. Jay Nathwani Geothermal Technologies Office Kate Young NREL Principal Investigator. October 1, 2013. Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap NEPA Database Overview. Permitting Analyses: NEPA Data. NEPA Data Populating a catalog of more than

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Geothermal Technologies Office

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  1. Geothermal Technologies Office Jay Nathwani Geothermal Technologies Office Kate Young NREL Principal Investigator October 1, 2013 Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap NEPA Database Overview

  2. Permitting Analyses: NEPA Data NEPA Data • Populating a catalog of more than • 150 recent geothermal NEPA documents • Accommodates NEPAdocuments from all agencies, including: BLM, USFS, BOR, DOE • Includes all phases of development: • Information can be sorted, analyzed and compared by different criteria, such as by type of planned activity, by state or field office, by type of NEPA document Land Use Planning Exploration Well Field Power Plant Transmission

  3. NEPA: List of Suggested Data to Collect • Administrative Data • Agency (State, Office, Document Number/Serial Number, leases) • Project Data • Applicant, Project Name, Project Type (Exploration, Drilling/Field Development, Utilization) • Scope (brief narrative) • Type of Analysis • Casual Use • Determination of NEPA Adequacy • Categorical Exclusion • Environmental Assessment • Environmental Analysis • Consultation, Special Interest and Concerns • Wildlife: Critical Habitat, Special Status Species • Cultural Resources • Visual Resources • Mitigation measures • Timelines/Action Dates • Application date • Public Notice • Decision • Processing Time

  4. 1. Provide data for future NEPA Analyses • User Story • BLM field office receives application for a reflective seismic survey. Agency personnel, including geothermal permit processing agent, specialists (biologist, cultural specialist, etc.) are unfamiliar with reflective seismic surveys or their potential impacts. • Database Input • Users search for “reflective seismic survey.” • Basic information is provided about the survey, including how it is conducted, timeframes, output information, etc., • Links are provided for further information and potential “training” (videos, presentations, papers, etc.) • Lists of previous NEPA analyses conducted for reflective seismic surveys are listed, including dates, timeframes, locations, impacted species and stipulations • Impact • The collection of this information helps to: • Reduce misunderstanding about potential activity impacts • Provide consistency among NEPA analyses conducted for similar activities • Potentially reduce time required to determine impacts and stipulations

  5. 2. Aid in Development of Categorical Exclusions Definition Categorical exclusion means a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment ... and ... for which, therefore, neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required. 40 CFR 1508.4 Note that a categorical exclusion can significantly reduce NEPA time requirements Typical CE 3 months Typical EA 10 months Categorical exclusions (CEs) are actions which meet the definition contained in 40 CFR 1508.4, and, based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts. They are actions which: do not induce significant impacts to planned growth or land use for the area, do not require the relocation of significant numbers of people; do not have a significant impact on any natural, cultural, recreational, historic or other resource; do not involve significant air, noise, or water quality impacts; do not have significant impacts on travel patterns; and do not otherwise, either individually or cumulatively, have any significant environmental impacts. 23 CFR 771.117(a)

  6. 2. Aid in Development of Categorical Exclusions • Categorical exclusions (CX) are developed based on previous experience, so collecting information from existing geothermal NEPA documents for similar actions (e.g. specific exploration or drilling activities) can be the basis for development of categorical exclusions for geothermal. • CXs can be: • Implemented by administrative policies • Mandated by congress (Sec. 390 EPAct of 2005 for O&G) or through agency regulations. • Developed during land use planning process and within NEPA documents for multiple well and development projects, that provides for the use of individual CXs or determination of NEPA adequacy (DNA). • Providing the upfront data collection and analysis can provide the federal agencies the data needed for development of categorical exclusions.

  7. Sources of NEPA Information

  8. Summary of Information Collected

  9. NEPA Database Queries

  10. OpenEI Demo http://en.openei.org/wiki/NEPA What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Browse properties

  11. Upcoming Plans

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