OREANDA-NEWS. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is hoping to ease opposition to the construction and expansion of natural gas infrastructure with a new guide that tells developers the best ways to interact with the public.

FERC in a 32-page manual released yesterday suggested best practices for how the gas industry can structure outreach programs to federal and state agency officials, along with the local officials and community leaders that can hold sway over a project's progress. The manual also includes ideas for how to get feedback from the public and inform them about the route and design of a planned project.

"It is in your interest to be a good neighbor from the start," FERC chairman Norman Bay told gas industry officials at a lunch last week in Washington, DC, where he previewed the release of the manual.

Public concern about the safety and environmental risks from pipelines and LNG export facilities has made it more difficult and costly to build those projects. Local residents and environmental groups have registered their opposition at every stage of proposed projects, and some activists have started interrupting FERC meetings.

FERC said the manual was for reference only and did not represent a new regulation, but it notes that if a company has a public outreach program it "greatly increases the chances that a project will proceed in a timely, efficient and credible manner." Some companies have already created formal public outreach programs, the manual said, while others are further behind.

The manual suggests project developers begin outreach with key officials before an exact route is decided for a project. The manual also advises companies keep key stakeholders informed of progress in a project and to continue public outreach after a project is complete.