Licensing strategies for electric power generating facilities

Siting and licensing electric power generating facilities can be a time-consuming, costly, and frustrating process. An aggressive and constantly changing regulatory climate, heightened public awareness of environmental issues, and the proliferation and resilience of opposition groups have created a permitting atmosphere in which the developer must shoulder the burden of proof that the environmental impacts of his project will be acceptable; and today, acceptable is fast becoming negligible. Throughout this complex process, it is important that the developer not lose sight of the objective of environmental permitting, environmental protection in order to ensure successful facility implementation and operation. Done properly, the environmental permitting process can also ensure continued good community relations long after the facility comes on line. As discussed in this paper, important keys to the successful licensing of a power project include assembling the right permitting team at the right stage in the development process, selecting the right site within the right host community, developing and implementing a sound permitting strategy, and executing a careful public interaction program