Office of Energy Projects (OEP)

OEP Org Chart

What We Do

The mission of the Office of Energy Projects is to facilitate potential benefits to the nation through the review of natural gas and hydropower infrastructure proposals and minimize risks to the public associated with FERC jurisdictional energy infrastructure.

OEP has the engineering and environmental expertise to certificate new gas pipeline projects, perform engineering reviews and inspections of LNG projects, and to authorize and monitor hydroelectric projects. It focuses on:

• Project siting and development;
• Balancing environmental and other concerns;
• Ensuring compliance; and
• Safeguarding the public.
   

Dam Safety and Inspections

Dam Safety and Inspections is responsible for the following workload items:

• Construction, operation, exemption, special, prelicense, and environmental and public use inspections
• Engineering evaluations and studies
• Independent Consultant Report reviews
• Emergency Action Plan development and testing
• Engineering Guidelines development
• Interagency/Industry committee participation

Dam Safety and Inspections is led by Director David Capka and Deputy Director Kenneth Fearon.
 

Gas-Environment and Engineering

Gas-Environment and Engineering is responsible for the following gas workload items:

• Preparation of NEPA documents (EAs and EISs)
• Environmental determinations (categorical exclusions, "environment not involved", etc.)
• EA Reports (e.g., Sections 157.208 and 380.4)
• Compliance conditions
• Compliance inspections
• NEPA PreFiling and collaborative work

Gas-Environment and Engineering is led by Director Gertrude Fernandez Johnson and Deputy Director Shannon Jones.

LNG Facility Review & Inspections

LNG Facility Review & Inspections is responsible for the following workload items:

• Siting, design, safety, and security reviews
• Cryogenic and seismic reviews
• Construction and operation inspection
• Safety and Reliability Conditions and Compliance
• LNG facility oversight activities
• Interagency coordination
• Public and industry outreach activities

LNG Facility Review & Inspections is led by Director Andrew Kohout.

Hydropower Administration & Compliance

Hydropower Administration and Compliance is responsible for case management and Commission order preparation for the following workload items:

• Conduit exemptions
• Declaratory orders
• License amendments
• Jurisdictional determinations
• Federal lands
• Headwater benefits
• Compliance (including audits and environmental inspections)
• Penalties
• License surrender
• Transfer of licenses
• Post-licensing non-compliance issues

Four Branches of the Division and their respective assignments:

Hydropower Administration and Compliance is led by Director CarLisa Linton and Deputy Director Mark Carter. 

Hydropower Licensing

Hydropower Licensing is responsible for the following hydro workload items:

• Case management and order preparation for applications for:
  • License
  • Relicense
  • Major amendment of license
  • 5MW exemptions
  • License surrender of constructed projects
• Preparation of NEPA documents (EAs and EISs)
• PreFiling collaborative work

Hydropower Licensing is led by Director Nicholas Jayjack and Deputy Director Timothy Konnert.

Pipeline Certificates

Pipeline Certificates has responsibility for case management and Commission order preparation for the following workload items:

• Gas certificate applications for construction and operation of facilities, under Section 7(c) of the NGA;
• Applications for abandonment of facilities under Section 7(b) of the NGA;
• Applications for import and export authorization under Section 3 of the NGA (and related presidential permits);
• Activities associated with facility-related automatic authorizations and prior notices;
• Activities associated with the technical aspects of facility-related declaratory orders, complaints and rehearing requests;
• Non-environmental compliance reports and activities; and
• PreFiling collaborative work, as assigned.

Pipeline Certificates is led by Director Pamela Boudreau.
 

Management & Operations

Management and Operations is responsible for the following general work effort areas:

• Strategic and financial management;
• Human and materials resource management;
• Information management and technology; and
• Communication and outreach

Management and Operations is led by Assistant Director Chrystal Martin.