Licensing and Permitting

Our staff is well versed in the site plan and submittal requirements for all agencies, allowing us to provide “one-stop shopping” for most projects. Inherent in our permitting approach is our role as mediator and negotiator to ensure projects meet the client’s purpose and need while satisfying regulatory requirements. We advocate a proactive, cooperative approach to most permitting projects involving jurisdictional agencies at the onset of the design and implementation stages.

Our excellent rapport with local, regional, and federal regulators allows for frank and decisive discussions and resolutions for our projects. This approach minimizes regulatory roadblocks by allowing for early input from regulators, proactive problem-solving, and expedient issuance of permits.

We have experience of managing more than 100 projects through the complete Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing process. We know what FERC requires and how to keep the licensing process moving – we served for 10 years as part of FERC’s environmental contractor team. Our team identifies potential resource issues and develops realistic studies based upon a nexus to the project as necessary to acquire data or develop appropriate protection, mitigation and enhancement measures.

By integrating planning, biological science, socioeconomic, and licensing skills, we provide a full suite of capabilities necessary for developing a workable relicensing strategy. This experience has proven successful in developing documents that meet FERC’s requirements and expectations, resulting in lower costs for our clients.

We have extensive experience in preparing environmental assessments and environmental impact statements under the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA for various lead and cooperating federal agencies (i.e., U.S. Forest Service, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, National Telecommunication and Information Agency, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), private clients, and project types.

Our scientists, engineers, and regulatory staff work with applicants, permittees, agencies, and project partners to assess a wide range of potential approaches, costs, and environmental effects to arrive at a preferred alternative or the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative.

We have managed over 100 relicensing projects for hydropower owners throughout North America during the past 30 years and have the knowledge and expertise to assist licensees in meeting complex Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) compliance requirements. We provide different options for compliance management based on the level of assistance needed, the project-specific complexities, the size of the project portfolio, and the kind of compliance requirements mandated by FERC and other agencies.

Kleinschmidt has been assisting clients with navigating the regulatory processes for offshore wind projects since 2010. We assisted the University of Maine with permitting the 1/8 scale demonstration floating project, and we prepared seven submittals to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) assessing Wind Energy Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off multiple states. Kleinschmidt is currently the third-party contractor for the Sunrise Wind Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We assist clients with understanding the regulatory requirements to construct and operate an offshore wind farm in the U.S.. We can also assist other integral players in the supply chain (e.g., Ports) with permitting and regulatory requirements. 

We actively participate in the industry as members of the Business Network for Offshore Wind (BNOW), American Clean Power (ACP), the Environmental Business Council of New England, and National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) Offshore Wind Working Group. Our Offshore Wind staff also assist the Business Network for Offshore Wind as industry experts for their training courses.  

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Our team of experienced scientists and engineers have provided expert testimony and technical support to the Department of Justice, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Native American Tribes related to water rights adjudicatory proceedings in the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon; the Snake and Salmon River, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane River, and Palouse River basins in Idaho; Rio Chama River in New Mexico, and Nookachamps Creek in Washington.

Expert witness testimony and support for these projects was provided by a unique collection of hydrologists, hydraulic engineers, fish biologists, riparian and aquatic ecologists, statisticians, and GIS specialists to quantify the instream flow and lake level needs of indigenous fish species.