July 6, 2011 - Open Letter to all potential LIHI Applicants describing how LIHI’s new Intake Review will be incorporated into the existing Low Impact Certification Application process.
Portland, Maine (July 6, 2011) - If you are interested in the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s (LIHI) certification program and the possibility of your hydropower facility being certified as low impact. This letter is intended to (1) provide you with an overview of the steps in the application and review/evaluation process that LIHI would be using to determine whether your hydropower facility meets LIHI’s criteria for certification should you decide to apply, and (2) explain the application fee structure.
If you have filed an application with LIHI previously or are otherwise familiar with LIHI’s application process, you will note from this letter that LIHI has instituted certain changes in both the application review process and the fee structure (as of May 15, 2011), and in certain instances also has clarified the information that must be filed with the application. These changes were instituted to better align LIHI’s fees with the actual costs incurred by LIHI for processing and reviewing an application, and to improve the completeness of the information contained in the applications LIHI receives. LIHI believes that these changes will create a more time- and cost-efficient review process.
The initial steps in the application process are described briefly below. Do not hesitate to call me if further assistance is needed.
Step #1: Gathering Application Materials and Filling out the Questionnaire
Applications for certification must be assembled and presented by an applicant using LIHI’s standardized application format. This format consists of LIHI’s “Questionnaire,” supplemented with certain information requested by LIHI in its accompanying “Line-By-Line Instructions.” This Questionnaire and the “Line-By-Line Instructions” for filling it in and providing needed supplemental information are attached to this letter and can also be found at LIHI’s website at:
http://www.lowimpacthydro.org/existing-certification-application-program.html
To ensure an expeditious processing of your application, it is very important for you to closely review the “Line-By-Line Instructions” and both fill in the Questionnaire accurately and completely and provide the additional supporting information as described in the “Line-By Line Instructions.” In the past, LIHI has received applications where some or all of this information was missing, requiring LIHI to track it down from the applicant or from third parties, often resulting in substantial delays and/or needless expenditures. Going forward, LIHI will stop processing applications that are not complete when filed and will require the applicant to supplement its application before processing continues.
Should you have questions about how to fill out the form, please email me with your question and either I, or an application reviewer, will get back to you.
Step #2: Filing Application with LIHI, Paying $750.00, Conducting Intake Review
Following receipt of your application and payment of $750.00 to LIHI, LIHI will conduct a mandatory Intake Review of the application. The non-refundable, flat fee of $750.00 covers the cost of this Intake Review.
The Intake Review will be conducted primarily by one of LIHI’s application reviewers, who will determine whether information is missing or the application is otherwise not ready for a full review and evaluation. Also as part of this Intake Review, and based primarily on the material provided in the application, the application reviewer will assist me in:
attempting to identify and alert you to issues that could make it impossible or very difficult for certification to be granted, as best as these issues can be identified at this preliminary stage of review and without making representations regarding success or failure of the application; and
determining the total processing fee required for LIHI to complete the full Application Review, should you choose to go forward.
Please note that the Intake Review is a screening level review. Given that, the final full Application Review may result in additional informational needs being identified and/or previously unidentified issues being raised through the public comment process or the more thorough final review.
Step #3: Notification of Intake Review Results, Review Completion Payment, Commencement of Complete Review
Once I review the results of the Intake Review, I will discuss the findings with you, and you can decide whether you will go forward with LIHI’s complete review of the application. After the processing fee needed to complete the review has been paid to LIHI, the 60-day Public Comment period and the complete review will commence.
Thank you for your interest in LIHI, and I look forward to working with you in the future.
Fred Ayer
Executive Director
Low Impact Hydropower Institute
Note: Links to the updated Questionnaire and excerpts from LIHI's line-by-line instructions are provided below.