Siting

Siting is the process of determining a suitable location for a project, facility, or infrastructure. It encompasses land-use planning, regulatory compliance, environmental assessment, and community engagement. Siting decisions are common for energy plants, waste facilities, transportation hubs, and major industrial operations.

The process typically begins with screening and scoping to identify viable sites, followed by data collection on geographic, environmental, economic, and social factors. Analysts evaluate constraints and opportunities, apply scoring or multi-criteria decision analysis, and compare alternatives. Public consultation and stakeholder input are integrated throughout. Regulatory approvals and environmental impact assessments shape the final choice and may drive mitigation strategies.

Key criteria include geography and topography, hydrology and flood risk, climate and natural hazards, access and intermodal connections, land ownership and use, infrastructure availability, and potential environmental and social effects. Cultural resources, biodiversity, and environmental justice considerations are increasingly emphasized. The aim is to minimize risk, reduce costs, and maximize community acceptance while complying with laws and standards.

Siting can face challenges such as competing interests, data limitations, bias, or delays from public opposition. Transparent processes, robust data, and open communication help address concerns. After selection, monitoring, mitigation, and post-project review are often required to ensure siting objectives are met and risks are managed over time.