OCEAN RENEWABLE POWER COMPANY (ORPC) PROPOSES DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROJECT SITE LOCATED IN COOK INLET WATERS, OFF EAST FORELAND, KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH, ALASKA (AK) AS THE LOCATION TO ACCELERATE THE COMMERCIAL SCALE TIDAL ENERGY INDUSTRY IN THE US. WITH A TIDAL RANGE OF ABOUT 21 FT (6.4 M), EAST FORELAND HAS THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR TIDAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THE AMERICAN TIDAL ENERGY PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A 1-5MW TIDAL PILOT SITE TO INTEGRATE THE BEST TIDAL TECHNOLOGIES TO PROVIDE POWER TO THE GRID, INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE VISION FOR, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF, A COMMERCIAL TIDAL ENERGY PROJECT BEYOND THE FUNDING PERIOD. IN PHASE/BUDGET PERIOD (BP) 1, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL CHARACTERIZE THE SITE INCLUDING TIDAL RESOURCE DATA COLLECTION, FACILITY AND OR INFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS AGREEMENTS, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MAPPING AND CONSULTATION. TASKS WILL INVOLVE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DESKTOP DATA WITH A POTENTIAL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL DATA GATHERING. WORK IN THIS PHASE WILL INFORM AND UNDERSTAND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE OFFSHORE ENVIRONMENT AND CANDIDATE TECHNOLOGIES. PLANS AND SCHEDULES WILL BE CREATED FOR LICENSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, SITE HEALTH AND SAFETY, SITE COMMERCIALIZATION, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT INCLUDING POTENTIAL TRIBAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY BENEFITS INCLUDING ESTIMATION OF CLEAN ENERGY JOBS CREATED, SUPPLY CHAIN PROCUREMENT AND TECHNOLOGY SELECTION AND QUALIFICATION. THIS PHASE WILL CULMINATE IN A FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION (FERC) DRAFT HYDROKINETIC PILOT PROJECT LICENSE APPLICATION SUBMISSION. A COMPETITIVE DOWN-SELECT WILL BE HELD AT THE CONCLUSION OF PHASE 1/BP1 WHERE THE PROJECT TEAM WILL PRESENT THE PROJECT GOALS, PROGRESS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO-DATE TO THE WATER POWER TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE (WPTO). IF THIS PROJECT IS SELECTED, SUBSEQUENT PHASES WILL BE AS FOLLOWS: - PHASE 2: DETAILED SITE CHARACTERIZATION - PHASE 3: SITE MOBILIZATION - PHASE 4: SITE COMMISSIONING AND TECHNOLOGY FABRICATION - PHASE 5: TESTING AND OPERATIONS