TITLE 61

PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATION

CHAPTER 17

SITING OF CERTAIN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION FACILITIES

61-1704.  Notice of intent to file — Content — Prefiling procedures. (1) Each transmission utility seeking authority to site electric transmission facilities in a national interest electric transmission corridor, shall submit a notice of intent to file an application for a route certificate. The notice of intent shall be filed with the commission at least one hundred twenty (120) days before the transmission utility intends to file an application for a transmission route certificate. If the application described in the notice of intent is not filed within one hundred eighty (180) days, the notice will be considered withdrawn unless the transmitting utility provides a written statement that it still intends to file an application as originally described in the notice of intent.

(2)  The notice of intent shall include, but is not limited to, the following information:

(a)  The name and mailing address of the transmitting utility including a contact name, address and telephone number of the contact person for the notice of intent. If the transmitting utility is a corporation, copies of its articles of incorporation and proof of its authorization and/or registration to conduct business in Idaho;

(b)  A detailed description of the proposed transmission route, including location maps and plot plans to scale showing all major components including a description of zoning and site availability for any permanent transmission facility;

(c)  A description of the proposed right-of-way width for the transmission line, including to what extent a new right-of-way will be required or an existing right-of-way will be widened;

(d)  A description of the proposed transmission line structures and their dimensions;

(e)  A description of the schedule desired for the project including the expected application filing date, the desired date for commission approval, the beginning date for construction, and the proposed project operation date;

(f)  A list of the federal, state, tribal and local government permitting entities including mailing address, contact names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses. The notice shall disclose how the transmitting utility intends to account for each of the permitting entities and when it proposes to file with these permitting entities for the respective permits or other authorizations prior to the route certificate application in section 61-1705, Idaho Code;

(g)  A statement that the transmitting utility has, or will within three (3) days of filing the notice of intent with the commission, provide a copy of such notice to affected landowners, local governments, and tribal, federal and state permitting entities;

(h)  A list and description of the website and physical locations where copies of the notice of intent are located in each county traversed by the proposed transmission route; and

(i)  An explanation of what rights the affected landowner has at the commission and in proceedings under the Idaho eminent domain laws.

(3)  Within three (3) days of filing the notice of intent with the commission, the transmitting utility shall publish notice of its filing. The transmitting utility shall:

(a)  Make available copies of the notice of intent in publicly accessible locations in each county or city throughout the project area in either electronic or paper format;

(b)  Create and maintain an up-to-date project website devoted solely to dispense information about the proposed transmission project;

(c)  Designate a single point of contact and explain how the transmitting utility will respond to requests for information from the public as well as federal, state, local government and tribal permitting entities; and

(d)  Cause to be published in a daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation at least once per week for two (2) weeks in each county where the proposed transmission route is located that a notice of intent has been filed with the commission. This public notice shall describe the proposed route including a map of the route, and advise readers how to obtain more information.

(4)  The commission shall, within twenty-one (21) days from when the notice of intent is filed, convene a preapplication conference with the transmitting utility, federal, state, local government and tribal permitting entities, for the purpose of reviewing the notice of intent.

History:

[61-1704, added 2007, ch. 186, sec. 1, p. 537.]