The feasibility study for the Houston Coal Gasification Project was designed to identify and characterize all factors that could have a significant impact on the decision to proceed with the next phase of the project. Four factors - environmental, safety, health, and socioeconomic - are of special significance and in-depth analyses were performed for each. These analyses are site specific and design specific and, where applicable, findings were incorporated into the design and cost estimates. The results of these four independent analyses indicate that the proposed project will have only a negligible effect on the environment, will not cause undue risks to the safety and health of employees or the local population, and will have a beneficial impact on the socioeconomic structure of the area. 10 figures, 6 tables.