Section 463-61-060. Commencement of preapplication process and public informational meeting.

(1) Within three days of filing a preapplication request with EFSEC the preapplicant shall send notice to:

(a) All the towns, cities, and counties in which the proposed electric transmission line route is located;

(b) Persons or governmental agencies owning land that may be acquired for the project or in which an easement may be sought;

(c) Land owners within three hundred feet of the proposed corridor; and

(d) Tribal, federal and state permitting entities if the project proponents were not to choose the EFSEC review.

(2) The notice shall contain a brief summary of the proposed project, the preapplication and application process and tentative schedules, the locations where copies of the notice are located in each town, city and county traversed by the proposed transmission route and the address of a web site containing the proposed project information.

(3) The notice to each affected landowner shall be mailed to the address of record on file with the applicable county auditor and have an explanation of the rights an affected landowner has during an EFSEC application review and under applicable Washington eminent domain laws.

(4) Within sixty days after receipt of the preapplication fee, EFSEC shall conduct at least one public informational meeting. The public informational meeting shall be for the purpose of informing the public and interested entities of relevant information regarding the proposed electrical transmission facility.

(a) The public meeting, at a minimum, shall provide the details of the preapplication request and the preapplication plan including the use of exhibits and hand-outs.

(b) The preapplicant and EFSEC staff shall be available and prepared to answer questions.

(c) The meeting shall be scheduled to maximize the opportunity for attendance by the public and held at a location near the proposed transmission corridor. If the proposed transmission corridor crosses multiple counties EFSEC may hold additional preapplication public meetings along the proposed corridor.

(d) At least two weeks prior to the date of the public meeting, notice of the preapplication public meeting shall be published in newspapers of general circulation for each town, city and/or county where the site is proposed.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 80.50 RCW and RCW 80.50.040. WSR 08-21-092, § 463-61-060, filed 10/15/08, effective 11/15/08.]

Chapter 80.50 RCW and RCW 80.50.040. WSR 08-21-092, § 463-61-060, filed 10/15/08, effective 11/15/08.