Navigating Federal and State HDD Guidelines for Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Crossings

Feasibility and suitability assessments have become increasingly important for trenchless projects, as some Federal and State permitting agencies have released guidance on the information required to complete their environmental review. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released guidance in October 2019, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) released a draft Trenchless Technology Technical Guidance Document for use by project applicants when considering trenchless crossing methods in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For complex trenchless installations and those that involve multiple permitting agencies with different guidelines, adherence to these guidelines has become increasingly important in avoiding or minimizing potential permitting and project delays. This paper reviews the requirements established by FERC and PADEP as a case study that may be indicative of the regulatory trend emerging in various jurisdictions across the nation. Public data research, geohazards evaluation, geophysical evaluation, and geotechnical investigation are describe, while following both the FERC and PADEP trenchless technology guidelines. Finally, this paper demonstrates the consolidation of data gathering and engineering analysis to select the most practical and least impacting trenchless alternative.