The following roadmaps are process schematics which show the approximate timing and sequence of the principle federal authorizations involved in siting hydrokinetic projects.
NOTE: Each authorization proces on the roadmaps is linked to its corresponding page in this KnowledgeBase; for example, if you would like to find out more about procedures for the 401 Water Quality Certification process, simply click on that box in the roadmap.
Test Project in State Waters (Non-Grid Connected) Small-scale hydrokinetic projects that are not connected to the electric grid do not require a license FERC, as no electricity is being transmitted. In this situation, the COE would be the lead federal agency for the project NEPA review. Projects of this scale are generally used for the purposes of testing and collecting data on device performance in the marine environment.
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Pilot Project in State Waters (Grid Connected) Small-scale hydrokinetic projects that are connected to the electric grid may are considered "pilot" projects. Since the project would be transmitting electricity, a FERC license is required. However, small-scale projects may be licensed under the FERC License Pilot Process. In this situation, FERC would be the lead federal agency for the project NEPA review.
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Commercial Project in State Waters Commercial-scale hydrokinetic projects that produce and transmit large amounts of electricity require a FERC Hydroelectric License.
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Hydrokinetic Projects on the Outer Continental Shelf
Some hydrokinetic projects may be sited on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), an area that includes all submerged lands between the seaward extent of state waters (typically 3nm from shore) and the seaward extent of U.S. jurisdiction (approximately 200 nautical miles from shore). Hydrokinetic projects located partially or wholly on the OCS require an OCS Hydrokinetic Lease in addition to a FERC License (as discussed in Integrating Hydrokinetic Leasing & FERC Licensing. The roadmaps below depict both the Noncompetitive and Competitive Lease scenarios.
Each roadmap is two pages.
Noncompetitive Lease Process
The first page shows the lease acquisition process in the context of a Determination of No Competitive Interest, and the second page shows the review process for a non-competitively issued lease.
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Competitive Lease Process
The first page shows the lease auction process in a situation where the BOEM has determined that competitive interest does exist. The second page shows the review process for a competitively issued lease.
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