Developers solicit input on new marine energy permitting toolkit

The project team working on the development of the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored marine and hydrokinetic tool for permitting and licensing has invited the members of the marine energy community to offer their feedback.

The MHK Environmental Toolkit for Permitting and Licensing aims to increase regulators’ and developers’ understanding of marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) projects, and their potential environmental effects to reduce the time and costs required to permit and develop MHK projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy has supported the development of such tool by awarding project funding to Kearns & West of San Francisco for a toolkit that includes a spatial, regulatory, and document database of information.

The project team, led by Kearns & West, will host a series of workshops and other engagement opportunities in February and March 2021 to demonstrate the toolkit, gather feedback, and share experts’ understanding of potential impacts and the state of known/unknown science for MHK projects

The project is expected to address the complexities of permitting processes through a consolidation and dissemination of relevant and actionable information needed for efficient permitting.

After the upcoming round of workshops, the project team will begin pilot testing, by identifying and collaborating with interested project specific developers to incorporate the toolkit into their new or ongoing projects.

The first in a series of webinar has been scheduled for February 3, 2021, and requires registration.