Coordinating Permit Offices and the Development of Utility-Scale Geothermal Energy

This study examines various forms of coordinating permit offices at the state and federal level in the western United States, discusses inefficiencies and mitigation techniques for permitting natural resource projects, analyzes whether various approaches are easily adaptable to utility-scale geothermal development, and ad- dresses advantages and challenges for coordinating permit offices.

Key successful strategies identified include:
- Flexibility in implementing the approach (i.e. less statutory requirements for the approach);
- Less dependence on a final environmental review for information sharing and permit coordination; and
- State and federal partnerships developed through memorandum of understanding to define roles and share data and/or developer information.

A few of the most helpful techniques include:
- A central point of contact for the developer to ask questions surrounding the project;
- Pre-application meetings to assist the developer in identifying all of the permits, regulatory approvals, and associated information or data required;
- A permit schedule or timeline to set expectations for the developer and agencies; and
- Consolidating the public notice, comment, and hearing period into fewer hearings held concurrently.

This submission includes a paper and presentation for the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) detailing the development of this project.