Strategy and Engagement Support to Energy Infrastructure Projects
Why EcoLogix Group was engaged:
An international energy company was seeking strategic guidance and stakeholder engagement services relating to a proposed liquified natural gas (LNG) facility and associated natural gas pipeline that would connect the facility to existing pipeline infrastructure serving regional markets. LNG facilities traditionally face strong opposition. Located in an estuarine seaport, the project developer expected community and environmental opposition to be complicated by recreational uses of the waterway. The proposed facility was to be considered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) after Natural Gas Act amendments defined responsibilities and timelines for project consideration and approvals. EcoLogix Group was engaged because of its comprehensive knowledge of stakeholder groups in the region, and through this knowledge its ability to develop and implement stakeholder engagement to provide informed input to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) considerations, and Waterway Suitability Assessment.
How EcoLogix Group Responded:
A key challenge was balancing stakeholder perspectives and providing factual information during a state election cycle in which the project became a convenient target for opposition by political candidates. EcoLogix Group was able to identify unexpected issues of concern early enough that the NEPA studies were able to address all issues and prevent unanticipated delays late in the process, create opportunities for the project developer to interact directly with concerned communities, provide timely information to environmental and recreational organizations enabling a balance of comments to FERC’s public input process. In addition, EcoLogix Group supported the developer’s communications efforts by providing insights on local stakeholder and regulatory perspectives.
Outcome:
The project developer received a Certificate to Construct from FERC.
LEAD:
