Chapter 385 Oregon Laws 1999
Session Law
AN ACT
SB 1083
Relating to amendment of
site certificate; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 469.320, 469.401,
469.402, 469.403, 469.405, 469.421, 469.430, 469.440, 469.441, 469.504,
469.505, 469.563 and 469.992.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 469.320 is amended to read:
469.320. (1) Except as provided in [subsection (2)] subsections
(2) and (5) of this section, no facility shall be constructed or expanded
unless a site certificate has been issued for the site thereof in the manner
provided in ORS 469.300 to 469.563, 469.590 to 469.619, 469.930 and 469.992. No
facility shall be constructed or operated except in conformity with the
requirements of ORS 469.300 to 469.563, 469.590 to 469.619, 469.930 and
469.992.
(2) No site certificate shall be required for:
(a) An energy facility for which no site certificate has been
issued that, on August 2, 1993, had operable electric generating equipment for
a modification that uses the same fuel type and increases electric generating
capacity, if:
(A) The site is not enlarged; and
(B) The ability of the energy facility to use fuel for
electricity production under peak steady state operating conditions is not more
than 200 million Btu per hour greater than it was on August 2, 1993, or the
energy facility expansion is called for in the short-term plan of action of an
energy resource plan that has been acknowledged by the Public Utility
Commission of Oregon.
(b) Construction or expansion of any interstate natural gas
pipeline or associated underground natural gas storage facility authorized by
and subject to the continuing regulation of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission or successor agency.
(c) An energy facility, except coal and nuclear power plants,
if the energy facility:
(A) Sequentially produces electrical energy and useful thermal
energy from the same fuel source; and
(B) Under normal operating conditions, has a useful thermal
energy output of no less than 33 percent of the total energy output or the fuel
chargeable to power heat rate value is not greater than 6,000 Btu per kilowatt
hour.
(d) Temporary storage, at the site of a nuclear-fueled thermal
power plant for which a site certificate has been issued by the State of
Oregon, of radioactive waste from the plant.
(3) No sooner than one year after August 2, 1993, the Energy
Facility Siting Council may review, and if necessary, revise the fuel
chargeable to power heat rate value set forth in subsection (2)(c)(B) of this
section. In making its determination, the council shall ensure that the fuel
chargeable to power heat rate value for facilities set forth in subsection
(2)(c)(B) of this section remains significantly lower than the fuel chargeable
to power heat rate value for the best available, commercially viable thermal
power plant technology at the time of the revision.
(4) Any person who proposes to construct or enlarge an energy
facility and who claims an exemption under subsection (2)(a) or (c) of this
section from the requirement to obtain a site certificate shall request the
Energy Facility Siting Council to determine whether the proposed facility
qualifies for the claimed exemption. The council shall make its determination
within 60 days after the request for exemption is filed. An appeal from the
council's determination on a request for exemption shall be made under ORS
469.403, except that the scope of review by the Supreme Court shall be the same
as a review by a circuit court under ORS 183.484. The record on review by the
Supreme Court shall be the record established in the council proceeding on the
exemption.
(5) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a separate
site certificate shall not be required for:
(a) Transmission lines, storage facilities, pipelines or
similar related or supporting facilities, if such related or supporting
facilities are addressed in and are subject to a site certificate for another
energy facility; [or]
(b) Expansion within the site or within the energy generation
area of a facility for which a site certificate has been issued, if the
existing site certificate has been amended to authorize expansion; or
(c) Expansion, either within
the site or outside the site, of an existing council certified surface facility
related to an underground gas storage reservoir, if the existing site
certificate is amended to authorize expansion.
(6) If the substantial loss of the steam host causes a facility
exempt under subsection (2)(c) of this section to substantially fail to meet
the exemption requirements under subsection (2)(c) of this section, the
electric generating facility shall cease to operate one year after the
substantial loss of the steam host unless an application for a site certificate
has been filed in accordance with the provisions of ORS 469.300 to 469.563.
(7) As used in this section:
(a) "Total energy output" means the sum of useful
thermal energy output and useful electrical energy output.
(b) "Useful thermal energy" means the verifiable
thermal energy used in any viable industrial or commercial process, heating or
cooling application.
SECTION 2.
ORS 469.401 is amended to read:
469.401. (1) Upon approval, the site certificate or any amended site certificate with
any conditions prescribed by the Energy Facility Siting Council shall be
executed by the chairperson of the council and by the applicant. The
certificate or amended certificate
shall authorize the applicant to construct, operate and retire the [proposed] facility subject to the
conditions set forth in the site certificate or amended site certificate. The duration of the site certificate or amended site certificate shall be
the life of the facility.
(2) The site certificate
or amended site certificate shall contain conditions for the protection of
the public health and safety, for the time for completion of construction, and
to ensure compliance with the standards, statutes and rules described in ORS
469.501 and 469.503. The site certificate
or amended site certificate shall require both parties to abide by local
ordinances and state law and the rules of the council in effect on the date the
site certificate or amended site
certificate is executed, except that upon a clear showing of a significant
threat to the public health, safety or the environment that requires
application of later-adopted laws or rules, the council may require compliance
with such later-adopted laws or rules. For a permit addressed in the site
certificate or amended site certificate,
the site certificate or amended site
certificate shall provide for facility compliance with applicable state and
federal laws adopted in the future to the extent that such compliance is
required under the respective state agency statutes and rules.
(3) Subject to the conditions set forth in the site certificate or amended site certificate, any
certificate or amended certificate
signed by the chairperson of the council shall bind the state and all counties
and cities and political subdivisions in this state as to the approval of the
site and the construction and operation of the [proposed] facility. After issuance of the site certificate or amended site certificate, any
affected state agency, county, city and political subdivision shall, upon
submission by the applicant of the proper applications and payment of the proper
fees, but without hearings or other proceedings, promptly issue the permits,
licenses and certificates addressed in the site certificate or amended site certificate, subject only to conditions set forth
in the site certificate or amended site
certificate. After the site certificate
or amended site certificate is issued, the only issue to be decided in an
administrative or judicial review of a state agency or local government permit
for which compliance with governing law was considered and determined in the
site certificate or amended site
certificate proceeding shall be whether the permit is consistent with the
terms of the site certificate or amended
site certificate. Each state or local government agency that issues a
permit, license or certificate shall continue to exercise enforcement authority
over the permit, license or certificate.
(4) Nothing in ORS chapter 469 shall be construed to preempt
the jurisdiction of any state agency or local government over matters that are
not included in and governed by the site certificate or amended site certificate. Such matters include but are not
limited to employee health and safety, building code compliance, wage and hour
or other labor regulations, local government fees and charges or other design
or operational issues that do not relate to siting the [proposed] facility.
SECTION 3.
ORS 469.402 is amended to read:
469.402. If the Energy Facility Siting Council elects to impose
conditions on a site certificate or an
amended site certificate, that require subsequent review and approval of a
future action, the council may delegate the future review and approval to the
Office of Energy if, in the council's discretion, the delegation is warranted
under the circumstances of the case.
SECTION 4.
ORS 469.403 is amended to read:
469.403. (1) Any party to a contested case proceeding may apply
for rehearing within 30 days from the date the approval or rejection is served.
The date of service shall be the date on which the Energy Facility Siting
Council delivered or mailed its approval or rejection in accordance with ORS
183.470. The application for rehearing shall set forth specifically the ground
upon which the application is based. No objection to the council's approval or
rejection of an application for a site certificate or a site certificate amendment shall be considered on rehearing
without good cause shown unless the basis for the objection is urged with
reasonable specificity before the council in the site certificate or amended site certificate process.
Upon such application, the council shall have the power to grant or deny
rehearing or to abrogate or modify its order without further hearing. Unless
the council acts upon the application for rehearing within 30 days after the
application is filed, the application shall be considered denied. The filing of
an application for rehearing shall not, unless specifically ordered by the
council, operate as a stay of the site certificate or amended site certificate for the facility.
(2) Any party to a contested case proceeding on a site
certificate or amended site certificate
application may appeal the council's approval or rejection of the site
certificate or amended site certificate
application. Issues on appeal shall be limited to those raised by the parties
to the contested case proceeding before the council.
(3) Jurisdiction for judicial review of the council's approval
or rejection of an application for a site certificate or amended site certificate is conferred upon the Supreme Court.
Proceedings for review shall be instituted by filing a petition in the Supreme
Court. The petition shall be filed within 60 days after the date of service of
the council's final order or within 30 days after the date the petition for
rehearing is denied or deemed denied. Date of service shall be the date on
which the council delivered or mailed its order in accordance with ORS 183.470.
(4) The filing of the petition for judicial review shall stay
the order, except that the Supreme Court may lift the stay upon a showing that:
(a) The delay in construction will result in substantial
economic injury to the applicant; and
(b) Construction will not result in irreparable harm to
resources protected by applicable council standards or applicable agency or
local government standards.
(5) No bond or other undertaking shall be required for
operation of the stay under subsection (4) of this section.
(6) Except as otherwise provided in ORS 469.320 and this
section, the review by the Supreme Court shall be the same as the review by the
Court of Appeals described in ORS 183.482. The Supreme Court shall give
priority on its docket to such a petition for review.
SECTION 5.
ORS 469.405 is amended to read:
469.405. (1) A site
certificate may be amended with the approval of the Energy Facility Siting
Council. The council may establish by rule the type of amendment that must be
considered in a contested case proceeding. Judicial review of an amendment to a
site certificate shall be as provided in ORS 469.403.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS
34.020 or 197.825, or any other provision of law, the land use approval by an
affected local government of a proposed amendment to a facility and the
recommendation of the special advisory group of applicable substantive criteria
shall be subject to judicial review only as provided in ORS 469.403. If the
applicant elects to show compliance with the statewide planning goals by
demonstrating that the facility has received local land use approval, the
provisions of this section shall apply only to proposed projects for which the
land use approval by the local government occurs after the date an application
for amendment is submitted to the Office of Energy.
(3) An amendment to a site
certificate is not required for a pipeline less than 16 inches in diameter and
less than five miles in length that is proposed to be constructed to test or
maintain an underground gas storage reservoir. If the proposed pipeline will
connect to a council certified surface facility related to an underground gas
storage reservoir or to a council certified gas pipeline, whether the proposed
pipeline is to be located inside or outside the site of a council certified
facility, the certificate holder must obtain, prior to construction, the
approval of the Office of Energy for the construction, operation and retirement
of the proposed pipeline. The Office of Energy shall approve such a proposed
pipeline if the pipeline meets applicable council substantive standards.
Notwithstanding ORS 469.503 (3), the Office of Energy may not review the
proposed pipeline for compliance with other state standards. Notwithstanding
ORS 469.503 (4), or any council rule addressing compliance with land use
standards, the Office of Energy shall not review such a proposed pipeline for
compliance with land use requirements. Notwithstanding ORS 469.401 (3), the
approval by the Office of Energy of such pipeline shall not bind any state or
local agency. The council may adopt appropriate procedural rules for the Office
of Energy review. The Office of Energy shall issue an order approving or
rejecting the proposed pipeline. Judicial review of an Office of Energy order
under this section shall be as provided in ORS 469.403.
SECTION 6.
ORS 469.421 is amended to read:
469.421. (1) Subject to the provisions of ORS 469.441, any
person submitting a notice of intent, a request for exemption under ORS
469.320, a request for an expedited review under ORS 469.370, a request for the Office of Energy to
approve a pipeline under ORS 469.405 (3), an application for a site
certificate or a request to amend a site certificate shall pay all expenses
incurred by the Energy Facility Siting Council, the Office of Energy and the
Oregon Department of Administrative Services related to the review and decision
of the council. These expenses may include legal expenses, expenses incurred in
processing and evaluating the application, issuing a final order or site
certificate, commissioning an independent study by a contractor, state agency
or local government under ORS 469.360, and changes to the rules of the council
that are specifically required and related to the particular site certificate [application].
(2) Every person submitting a notice of intent to file for a
site certificate, a request for exemption or a request for expedited review
shall submit the fee required under the fee schedule established under ORS
469.441 to the Office of Energy when the notice or request is submitted to the
council. To the extent possible, the full cost of the evaluation shall be paid
from the fee paid under this subsection. However, if costs of the evaluation
exceed the fee, the person submitting the notice or request shall pay any
excess costs shown in an itemized statement prepared by the council. In no
event shall the council incur evaluation expenses in excess of 110 percent of the
fee initially paid unless the council provides prior notification to the
applicant and a detailed projected budget the council believes necessary to
complete the project. If costs are less than the fee paid, the excess shall be
refunded to the person submitting the notice or request.
(3) Before submitting a site certificate application, the
applicant shall request from the Office of Energy an estimate of the costs
expected to be incurred in processing the application. The Office of Energy
shall inform the applicant of that amount and require the applicant to make
periodic payments of such costs pursuant to a cost reimbursement agreement. The
cost reimbursement agreement shall provide for payment of 25 percent of the
estimated costs when the applicant submits the application. If costs of the
evaluation exceed the estimate, the applicant shall pay any excess costs shown
in an itemized statement prepared by the council. In no event shall the council
incur evaluation expenses in excess of 110 percent of the fee initially
estimated unless the council provided prior notification to the applicant and a
detailed projected budget the council believes is necessary to complete the
project. If costs are less than the fee paid, the council shall refund the
excess to the applicant.
(4) Any person who is delinquent in the payment of fees under
subsections (1) to (3) of this section shall be subject to the provisions of
subsection (11) of this section.
(5) Subject to the provisions of ORS 469.441, each holder of a
certificate shall pay an annual fee, due every July 1 following issuance of a
site certificate. For each fiscal year, upon approval of the Office of Energy's
budget authorization by a regular session of the Legislative Assembly or as
revised by the Emergency Board, the administrator of the Office of Energy
promptly shall enter an order establishing an annual fee based on the amount of
revenues that the administrator estimates is needed to fund the cost of
assuring that the facility is being operated consistently with the terms and
conditions of the site certificate, any
order issued by the Office of Energy under ORS 469.405 (3) and any
applicable health or safety standards. In determining this cost, the
administrator shall include both the actual direct cost to be incurred by the
council, the Office of Energy and the Oregon Department of Administrative
Services to assure that the facility is being operated consistently with the
terms and conditions of the site certificate, any order issued by the Office of Energy under ORS 469.405 (3)
and any applicable health or safety standards, and the general costs to be
incurred by the council, the Office of Energy and the Oregon Department of
Administrative Services to assure that all certificated facilities are being
operated consistently with the terms and conditions of the site certificates, any orders issued by the Office of Energy
under ORS 469.405 (3) and any applicable health or safety standards that
cannot be allocated to an individual, licensed facility. Not more than 20
percent of the annual fee charged each facility shall be for the recovery of
these general costs. The fees for direct costs shall reflect the size and
complexity of the facility and its certificate conditions.
(6) Each holder of a site certificate executed after July 1 of
any fiscal year shall pay a fee for the remaining portion of the year. The
amount of the fee shall be set at the cost of regulating the facility during
the remaining portion of the year determined in the same manner as the annual
fee.
(7) When the actual costs of regulation incurred by the
council, the Office of Energy and the Oregon Department of Administrative
Services for the year, including that portion of the general regulation costs
that have been allocated to a particular facility, are less than the annual
fees for that facility, the unexpended balance shall be refunded to the site
certificate holder. When the actual regulation costs incurred by the council,
the Office of Energy and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for
the year, including that portion of the general regulation costs that have been
allocated to a particular facility, are projected to exceed the annual fee for
that facility, the administrator may issue an order revising the annual fee.
(8) In addition to any other fees required by law, each energy
resource supplier shall pay to the Office of Energy annually its share of an
assessment to fund the activities of the Energy Facility Siting Council, the
Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Energy,
determined by the administrator in the following manner:
(a) Upon approval of the budget authorization of the Energy
Facility Siting Council, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and
the Office of Energy by a regular session of the Legislative Assembly, the
administrator shall promptly enter an order establishing the amount of revenues
required to be derived from an assessment pursuant to this subsection in order
to fund the activities of the Energy Facility Siting Council, the Oregon
Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Energy, including those
enumerated in ORS 469.030 and others authorized by law, for the first fiscal
year of the forthcoming biennium. On or before June 1 of each even-numbered
year, the administrator shall enter an order establishing the amount of
revenues required to be derived from an assessment pursuant to this subsection
in order to fund the activities of the Energy Facility Siting Council, the
Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Energy,
including those enumerated in ORS 469.030 and others authorized by law, for the
second fiscal year of the biennium which order shall take into account any
revisions to the biennial budget of the Energy Facility Siting Council, the
Office of Energy and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services made by
the Emergency Board or by a special session of the Legislative Assembly
subsequent to the most recently concluded regular session of the Legislative
Assembly.
(b) Each order issued by the administrator pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this subsection shall allocate the aggregate assessment set
forth therein to energy resource suppliers in accordance with paragraph (c) of
this subsection.
(c) The amount assessed to an energy resource supplier shall be
based on the ratio which that supplier's annual gross operating revenue derived
within this state in the preceding calendar year bears to the total gross
operating revenue derived within this state during that year by all energy resource
suppliers. The assessment against an energy resource supplier shall not exceed
five-tenths of one percent of the supplier's gross operating revenue derived
within this state in the preceding calendar year. The administrator shall
exempt from payment of an assessment any individual energy resource supplier
whose calculated share of the annual assessment is less than $250.
(d) The administrator shall send each energy resource supplier
subject to assessment pursuant to this subsection a copy of each order issued,
by registered or certified mail. The amount assessed to the energy resource
supplier pursuant to the order shall be considered to the extent otherwise
permitted by law a government-imposed cost and recoverable by the energy
resource supplier as a cost included within the price of the service or product
supplied.
(e) The amounts assessed to individual energy resource
suppliers pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection shall be paid to the
Office of Energy as follows:
(A) Amounts assessed for the first fiscal year of a biennium
shall be paid not later than 90 days following the close of the regular session
of the Legislative Assembly; and
(B) Amounts assessed for the second fiscal year of a biennium
shall be paid not later than July 1 of each even-numbered year.
(f) An energy resource supplier shall provide the
administrator, on or before May 1 of each year, a verified statement showing
its gross operating revenues derived within the state for the preceding
calendar year. The statement shall be in the form prescribed by the
administrator and is subject to audit by the administrator. The statement shall
include an entry showing the total operating revenue derived by petroleum
suppliers from fuels sold that are subject to the requirements of section 3,
Article IX of the Oregon Constitution, ORS 319.020 with reference to aircraft
fuel and motor vehicle fuel, and ORS 319.530. The administrator may grant an
extension of not more than 15 days for the requirements of this subsection if:
(A) The energy supplier makes a showing of hardship caused by
the deadline;
(B) The energy supplier provides reasonable assurance that the
energy supplier can comply with the revised deadline; and
(C) The extension of time does not prevent the Energy Facility
Siting Council, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services or the Office
of Energy from fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.
(g) As used in this section:
(A) "Energy resource supplier" means an electric
utility, natural gas utility or petroleum supplier supplying electricity,
natural gas or petroleum products in Oregon.
(B) "Gross operating revenue" means gross receipts
from sales or service made or provided within this state during the regular
course of the energy supplier's business, but does not include either revenue
derived from interutility sales within the state or revenue received by a
petroleum supplier from the sale of fuels that are subject to the requirements
of section 3, Article IX of the Oregon Constitution, ORS 319.020 or 319.530.
(C) "Petroleum supplier" has the meaning given that
term in ORS 469.020.
(h) In determining the amount of revenues which must be derived
from any class of energy resource suppliers by assessment pursuant to this
subsection, the administrator shall take into account all other known or
readily ascertainable sources of revenue to the Energy Facility Siting Council,
the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Energy,
including, but not limited to, fees imposed under this section and federal
funds, and may take into account any funds previously assessed pursuant to ORS
469.420 (1979 Replacement Part) or section 7, chapter 792, Oregon Laws 1981.
(i) Orders issued by the administrator pursuant to this section
shall be subject to judicial review under ORS 183.484. The taking of judicial
review shall not operate to stay the obligation of an energy resource supplier
to pay amounts assessed to it on or before the statutory deadline.
(9)(a) In addition to any other fees required by law, each
operator of a nuclear fueled thermal power plant or nuclear installation within
this state shall pay to the Office of Energy annually on July 1, an assessment
in an amount determined by the administrator to be necessary to fund the
activities of the state and the counties associated with emergency preparedness
for a nuclear fueled thermal power plant or nuclear installation. The
assessment shall not exceed $461,250 per year. Moneys collected as assessments
under this subsection are continuously appropriated to the Office of Energy for
this purpose.
(b) The Office of Energy shall maintain and shall cause other
state agencies and counties to maintain time and billing records for the
expenditure of any fees collected from an operator of a nuclear fueled thermal
power plant under paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(10) Reactors operated by a college, university or graduate
center for research purposes and electric utilities not connected to the
Northwest Power Grid are exempt from the fee requirements of subsections (5),
(8) and (9) of this section.
(11)(a) All fees assessed by the administrator against holders
of site certificates for facilities that have an installed capacity of 500
megawatts or greater may be paid in several installments, the schedule for
which shall be negotiated between the administrator and the site certificate
holder.
(b) Energy resource suppliers or applicants or holders of a
site certificate who fail to pay a fee provided under subsections (1) to (9) of
this section or the fees required under ORS 469.360 after it is due and payable
shall pay, in addition to that fee, a penalty of two percent of the fee a month
for the period that the fee is past due. Any payment made according to the
terms of a schedule negotiated under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not
be considered past due. The administrator may bring an action to collect an
unpaid fee or penalty in the name of the State of Oregon in a court of
competent jurisdiction. The court may award reasonable attorney fees to the
administrator if the administrator prevails in an action under this subsection.
The court may award reasonable attorney fees to a defendant who prevails in an
action under this subsection if the court determines that the administrator had
no objectively reasonable basis for asserting the claim or no reasonable basis
for appealing an adverse decision of the trial court.
SECTION 7.
ORS 469.430 is amended to read:
469.430. The Energy Facility Siting Council has continuing
authority over the site for which the site certificate is issued and may
inspect, or direct the Office of Energy to inspect, or request another state
agency or local government to inspect, the site at any time in order to assure
that the facility is being operated consistently with the terms and conditions
of the site certificate or any order
issued by the Office of Energy under ORS 469.405 (3). The council shall
avoid duplication of effort with site inspections by other state and federal
agencies and local governments that have issued permits or licenses for the
facility.
SECTION 8.
ORS 469.440 is amended to read:
469.440. Pursuant to the procedures for contested cases in ORS
183.310 to 183.550, a site
certificate or an amended site
certificate may be revoked or suspended:
(1) For failure to comply with the terms or conditions of the site certificate or amended site certificate;
(2) For violation of the provisions of ORS 469.525 to 469.563,
469.590 to 469.619, 469.930 and 469.992 or rules adopted pursuant to ORS
469.525 to 469.563, 469.590 to 469.619, 469.930 and 469.992; or
(3) If the site certificate was executed prior to July 2, 1975,
for violation of the provisions of ORS 469.300 to 469.520 or rules adopted
pursuant to ORS 469.300 to 469.520 or for failure to comply with applicable
health or safety standards.
SECTION 9.
ORS 469.441 is amended to read:
469.441. (1) All expenses incurred by the Energy Facility
Siting Council and the Office of Energy under ORS 469.360 (1) and 469.421 that
are charged to or allocated to the fee paid by an applicant or the holder of a
site certificate shall be necessary, just and reasonable. Upon request, the
Office of Energy or the council shall provide a detailed justification for all
charges to the applicant or site certificate holder. Not later than January 1
of each odd-numbered year, the council by order shall establish a schedule of
fees which those persons submitting a notice of intent, a request for an
exemption, a request for a pipeline
described in ORS 469.405 (3) or a request for an expedited review must
submit under ORS 469.421 at the time of submitting the notice of intent,
request for exemption, request for
pipeline or request for expedited review. The fee schedule shall be
designed to recover the council's actual costs of evaluating the notice of
intent, request for exemption, request
for pipeline or request for expedited review subject to any applicable
expenditure limitation in the council's budget. Fees shall be based upon
actual, historical costs incurred by the council and Office of Energy to the
extent historical costs are available. The fees established by the schedule
shall reflect the size and complexity of the project for which a notice of
intent, request for exemption, request
for pipeline or request for expedited review is submitted, whether the notice
of intent, request for exemption,
request for pipeline or request for expedited review is for a new or
existing facility and other appropriate variables having an effect on the
expense of evaluation.
(2) If a dispute arises regarding the necessity or
reasonableness of expenses charged to or allocated to the fee paid by an
applicant or site certificate holder, the applicant or holder may seek judicial
review for the amount of expenses charged or allocated in circuit court as
provided in ORS 183.480, 183.484, 183.490 and 183.500. If the applicant or
holder establishes that any of the charges or allocations are unnecessary or
unreasonable, the council or the Office of Energy shall refund the amount found
to be unnecessary or unreasonable. The applicant or holder shall not waive the
right to judicial review by paying the portion of the fee or expense in
dispute.
SECTION 10.
ORS 469.504 is amended to read:
469.504. (1) A proposed facility shall be found in compliance
with the statewide planning goals under ORS 469.503 (4) if:
(a) The facility has received local land use approval under the
acknowledged comprehensive plan and land use regulations of the affected local
government; or
(b) The council determines that:
(A) The facility complies with applicable substantive criteria
from the affected local government's acknowledged comprehensive plan and land
use regulations that are required by the statewide planning goals and in effect
on the date the application is submitted, and with any Land Conservation and
Development Commission administrative rules and goals and any land use statutes
directly applicable to the facility under ORS 197.646 (3);
(B) For an energy facility or a related or supporting facility
that must be evaluated against the applicable substantive criteria pursuant to
subsection (5) of this section, that the proposed facility does not comply with
one or more of the applicable substantive criteria but does otherwise comply
with the applicable statewide planning goals, or that an exception to any
applicable statewide planning goal is justified under subsection (2) of this
section; or
(C) For a facility that the council elects to evaluate against
the statewide planning goals pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, that
the proposed facility complies with the applicable statewide planning goals or
that an exception to any applicable statewide planning goal is justified under
subsection (2) of this section.
(2) The council may find goal compliance for a facility that
does not otherwise comply with one or more statewide planning goals by taking
an exception to the applicable goal. Notwithstanding the requirements of ORS
197.732, the statewide planning goal pertaining to the exception process or any
rules of the Land Conservation and Development Commission pertaining to an
exception process goal, the council may take an exception to a goal if the
council finds:
(a) The land subject to the exception is physically developed
to the extent that the land is no longer available for uses allowed by the applicable
goal;
(b) The land subject to the exception is irrevocably committed
as described by the rules of the Land Conservation and Development Commission
to uses not allowed by the applicable goal because existing adjacent uses and
other relevant factors make uses allowed by the applicable goal impracticable;
or
(c) The following standards are met:
(A) Reasons justify why the state policy embodied in the
applicable goal should not apply;
(B) The significant environmental, economic, social and energy
consequences anticipated as a result of the proposed facility have been
identified and adverse impacts will be mitigated in accordance with rules of
the council applicable to the siting of the proposed facility; and
(C) The proposed facility is compatible with other adjacent
uses or will be made compatible through measures designed to reduce adverse
impacts.
(3) If compliance with applicable substantive local criteria
and applicable statutes and state administrative rules would result in
conflicting conditions in the site certificate or amended site certificate, the council shall resolve the
conflict consistent with the public interest. A resolution may not result in a
waiver of any applicable state statute.
(4) An applicant for a site certificate shall elect whether to
demonstrate compliance with the statewide planning goals under subsection
(1)(a) or (b) of this section. The applicant shall make the election on or
before the date specified by the council by rule.
(5) Upon request by the Office of Energy, the special advisory
group established under ORS 469.480 shall recommend to the council, within the
time stated in the request, the applicable substantive criteria under
subsection (1)(b)(A) of this section. If the special advisory group does not
recommend applicable substantive criteria within the time established in the
Office of Energy's request, the council may either determine and apply the
applicable substantive criteria under subsection (1)(b) of this section or
determine compliance with the statewide planning goals under subsection
(1)(b)(B) or (C) of this section. If the special advisory group recommends
applicable substantive criteria for an energy facility described in ORS 469.300
(9)(a) or a related or supporting facility that does not pass through more than
one local government jurisdiction or more than three zones in any one
jurisdiction, the council shall apply the criteria recommended by the special
advisory group. If the special advisory group recommends applicable substantive
criteria for an energy facility described in ORS 469.300 (9)(a)(C) to (E) or a
related or supporting facility that passes through more than one jurisdiction
or more than three zones in any one jurisdiction, the council shall review the
recommended criteria and determine whether to evaluate the proposed facility
against the applicable substantive criteria recommended by the special advisory
group, against the statewide planning goals or against a combination of the
applicable substantive criteria and statewide planning goals. In making its
determination, the council shall consult with the special advisory group and
shall consider:
(a) The number of jurisdictions and zones in question;
(b) The degree to which the applicable substantive criteria
reflect local government consideration of energy facilities in the planning
process; and
(c) The level of consistency of the applicable substantive
criteria from the various zones and jurisdictions.
(6) The council is not subject to ORS 197.180 and a state
agency may not require an applicant for a site certificate to comply with any
rules or programs adopted under ORS 197.180.
(7) On or before its next periodic review, each affected local
government shall amend its comprehensive plan and land use regulations as
necessary to reflect the decision of the council pertaining to a site
certificate [application] or amended site certificate.
(8) Notwithstanding ORS 34.020 or 197.825 or any other
provision of law, the affected local government's land use approval of a
proposed facility under subsection (1)(a) of this section and the special
advisory group's recommendation of applicable substantive criteria under
subsection (5) of this section shall be subject to judicial review only as
provided in ORS 469.403. If the applicant elects to comply with subsection
(1)(a) of this section, the provisions of this subsection shall apply only to
proposed projects for which the land use approval of the local government
occurs after the date a notice of intent or an application for expedited processing
is submitted to the Office of Energy.
(9) The Office of Energy, in cooperation with other state
agencies, shall provide, to the extent possible, technical assistance and
information about the siting process to local governments that request such
assistance or that anticipate having a facility proposed in their jurisdiction.
SECTION 11.
ORS 469.505 is amended to read:
469.505. (1) In making a determination regarding compliance
with statutes, rules and ordinances administered by another agency or compliance
with requirements of ORS 469.300 to 469.563 and 469.590 to 469.619 where
another agency has special expertise, consultation with the other agency shall
occur during the notice of intent and site certificate application process. Any
permit application for which the permitting decision has been delegated by the
Federal Government to a state agency other than the Energy Facility Siting
Council shall be reviewed, whenever feasible, simultaneously with the council's
review of the site certificate application. Any hearings required on such
permit applications shall be consolidated, whenever feasible, with hearings
under ORS 469.300 to 469.563 and 469.590 to 469.619.
(2) Before resolving any conflicting conditions in site
certificates or amended site
certificates under ORS 469.503 (3) and 469.504, the council shall notify
and consult with the agencies and local governments responsible for
administering the statutes, administrative rules or substantive local criteria
that result in the conflicting conditions regarding potential conflict
resolution.
SECTION 12.
ORS 469.563 is amended to read:
469.563. Without prior administrative proceedings, a circuit
court may issue such restraining orders, and such temporary and permanent
injunctive relief as is necessary to secure compliance with ORS 469.320, 469.405 (3), 469.410, 469.421,
469.430, 469.440, 469.442, 469.507, 469.525 to 469.559, 469.560, 469.561,
469.562, 469.590 to 469.619, 469.930 and 469.992 or with the terms and
conditions of a site certificate.
SECTION 13.
ORS 469.992 is amended to read:
469.992. (1) The administrator of the Office of Energy or the
Energy Facility Siting Council may impose civil penalties for violation of ORS
469.300 to 469.619 and 469.930, for violations of rules adopted under ORS
469.300 to 469.619 and 469.930, [or]
for violation of any site certificate or
amended site certificate issued under ORS 469.300 to 469.601 or for violation of an Office of Energy
order issued pursuant to ORS 469.405 (3). A civil penalty in an amount of
not more than $25,000 per day for each day of violation may be assessed.
(2) Violation of an order entered pursuant to ORS 469.550 is
punishable upon conviction by a fine of $50,000. Each day of violation
constitutes a separate offense.
(3) A civil penalty in an amount not less than $100 per day nor
more than $1,000 per day may be assessed by the administrator or the Energy
Facility Siting Council for a willful failure to comply with a subpoena served
by the administrator pursuant to ORS 469.080 (2).
(4) A civil penalty in an amount of not more than $25,000 per
day for each day in violation of any provision of ORS 469.603 to 469.619 may be
assessed by the circuit court upon complaint of any person injured by the
violation.
SECTION 14.
ORS 469.992, as amended by section 17, chapter 653, Oregon Laws 1991, is
amended to read:
469.992. (1) The administrator of the Office of Energy or the
Energy Facility Siting Council may impose civil penalties for violation of ORS
469.300 to 469.619 and 469.930, for violations of rules adopted under ORS
469.300 to 469.619 and 469.930, [or]
for violation of any site certificate or
amended site certificate issued under ORS 469.300 to 469.601 or for violation of an Office of Energy
order issued pursuant to ORS 469.405 (3). A civil penalty in an amount of
not more than $25,000 per day for each day of violation may be assessed.
(2) Violation of an order entered pursuant to ORS 469.550 is
punishable upon conviction by a fine of $50,000. Each day of violation
constitutes a separate offense.
(3) A civil penalty in an amount not less than $100 per day nor
more than $1,000 per day may be assessed by the administrator or the Energy
Facility Siting Council for a willful failure to comply with a subpoena served
by the administrator pursuant to ORS 469.080 (2).
(4) A civil penalty in an amount of not more than $25,000 per
day for each day in violation of any provision of ORS 469.603 to 469.619 or
section 14, chapter 653, Oregon Laws 1991, may be assessed by the circuit court
upon complaint of any person injured by the violation.
SECTION 15. Nothing in the amendments to ORS 469.992 by
section 13 or 14 of this 1999 Act affects the provisions of section 18, chapter
653, Oregon Laws 1991.
Approved by the Governor
June 28, 1999
Filed in the office of
Secretary of State June 29, 1999
Effective date October 23,
1999
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