CHAPTER 277a*
PUBLIC UTILITY ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ACT

      *Applicability of chapter discussed. 165 C. 687. Cited. 177 C. 623, 624; 180 C. 474, 477. Conn. public utility environmental standards act, Sec. 16-50g et seq. cited. 212 C. 157, 159. Public utility environmental standards act (Secs. 16-50g- 16-50z) cited. 215 C. 474, 482, 483. Cited. 220 C. 516, 518.

      Sec. 16-50g et seq., Public utility environmental standards act (PUESA) cited. 20 CA 474, 476-478, 485, 487, 489. Cited. 37 CA 653, 662; judgment reversed, see 238 C. 361 et seq.

      Attempted taking of easement for future facility where procedure prescribed by this chapter was not followed was an abuse of the plaintiff's powers of eminent domain. 35 CS 303, 306, 310.

Table of Contents

Sec. 16-50g. Legislative finding and purpose.
Sec. 16-50h. Short title.
Sec. 16-50i. Definitions.
Sec. 16-50j. Connecticut Siting Council. Regulations. Consultation with state agencies. State agency agreements with parties to proceeding.
Sec. 16-50k. Certificate of environmental compatibility and public need. Transfer. Amendment. Excepted matters. Waiver.
Sec. 16-50l. Application for certificate. Notice. Application or resolution for amendment of certificate.
Sec. 16-50m. Public hearing. Notice.
Sec. 16-50n. Parties to a certification or amendment proceeding or a declaratory ruling. Grouping of parties. Intervenors. Counsel and consultant to council. Limited appearances.
Sec. 16-50o. Record of hearing. Rights of parties. Administrative notice re electromagnetic fields.
Sec. 16-50p. Certification proceeding decisions: Timing, opinion, factors considered. Telecommunications and community antenna television facilities: Additional factors considered, conditions. Modification of location. Amendment proceeding decisions. Service and notice. "Public need" defined.
Sec. 16-50q. Judicial review.
Sec. 16-50r. Report of forecast of loads and resources. Confidential Information. Regulations. Investigation of life-cycle costs for overhead and underground transmission lines: Scope, hearings, consultants, assessment.
Sec. 16-50s. Expenditures by utilities as consideration in proceedings.
Sec. 16-50t. Regulations and standards. Hearing. Certain expenditures excluded in computation of fair net return.
Sec. 16-50u. Enforcement of certificate and standards requirements.
Sec. 16-50v. Administration expenses. Assessments. Fees. Staff. Consultants. Studies.
Sec. 16-50w. Conflicting provisions.
Sec. 16-50x. Exclusive jurisdiction of council; exception. Eminent domain after certification. Municipal regulation of proposed location.
Sec. 16-50y. Location application for electric generating facilities.
Sec. 16-50z. Acquisition of real property for transmission facility. Regulations. Public service company acquisition of residential real property by condemnation.
Sec. 16-50aa. Tower sharing: Policy, requests, feasibility proceeding, compensation, expenses.
Sec. 16-50bb. Municipal participation account.
Sec. 16-50cc. Reconfiguration or burial of electric transmission facility.
Sec. 16-50dd. State-wide telecommunications coverage data base.
Sec. 16-50ee. State-wide telecommunications coverage plan.

      Sec. 16-50g. Legislative finding and purpose. The legislature finds that power generating plants and transmission lines for electricity and fuels, community antenna television towers and telecommunication towers have had a significant impact on the environment and ecology of the state of Connecticut; and that continued operation and development of such power plants, lines and towers, if not properly planned and controlled, could adversely affect the quality of the environment and the ecological, scenic, historic and recreational values of the state. The purposes of this chapter are: To provide for the balancing of the need for adequate and reliable public utility services at the lowest reasonable cost to consumers with the need to protect the environment and ecology of the state and to minimize damage to scenic, historic, and recreational values; to provide environmental quality standards and criteria for the location, design, construction and operation of facilities for the furnishing of public utility services at least as stringent as the federal environmental quality standards and criteria, and technically sufficient to assure the welfare and protection of the people of the state; to encourage research to develop new and improved methods of generating, storing and transmitting electricity and fuel and of transmitting and receiving television and telecommunications with minimal damage to the environment and other values described above; to promote energy security; to promote the sharing of towers for fair consideration wherever technically, legally, environmentally and economically feasible to avoid the unnecessary proliferation of towers in the state particularly where installation of such towers would adversely impact class I and II watershed lands, and aquifers; to require annual forecasts of the demand for electric power, together with identification and advance planning of the facilities needed to supply that demand and to facilitate local, regional, state-wide and interstate planning to implement the foregoing purposes.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 1; P.A. 75-375, S. 1, 12; P.A. 76-359, S. 1, 7; P.A. 77-218, S. 1; P.A. 89-45, S. 1, 4; P.A. 03-140, S. 1; P.A. 04-236, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 75-375 deleted "orderly processes" with regard to balancing utility services and environmental concerns and modified reference provision to utility services with "at the lowest reasonable cost to consumers"; P.A. 76-359 included in purposes of chapter provision re forecasts of power demands and advance planning for necessary facilities; P.A. 77-218 included references to community cable television and telecommunications services and facilities; P.A. 89-45 included provision of chapter re promotion of sharing of towers; P.A. 03-140 added promotion of energy security as legislative purpose, effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 04-236 made a technical change, effective June 8, 2004.

      Cited. 180 C. 474, 477.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 485, 489.

      Cited. 35 CS 303, 306.

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      Sec. 16-50h. Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the "Public Utility Environmental Standards Act".

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 2.)

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      Sec. 16-50i. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

      (a) "Facility" means: (1) An electric transmission line of a design capacity of sixty-nine kilovolts or more, including associated equipment but not including a transmission line tap, as defined in subsection (e) of this section; (2) a fuel transmission facility, except a gas transmission line having a design capability of less than two hundred pounds per square inch gauge pressure; (3) any electric generating or storage facility using any fuel, including nuclear materials, including associated equipment for furnishing electricity but not including an emergency generating device, as defined in subsection (f) of this section or a facility (i) owned and operated by a private power producer, as defined in section 16-243b, (ii) which is a qualifying small power production facility or a qualifying cogeneration facility under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended, or a facility determined by the council to be primarily for a producer's own use, and (iii) which has, in the case of a facility utilizing renewable energy sources, a generating capacity of one megawatt of electricity or less and, in the case of a facility utilizing cogeneration technology, a generating capacity of twenty-five megawatts of electricity or less; (4) any electric substation or switchyard designed to change or regulate the voltage of electricity at sixty-nine kilovolts or more or to connect two or more electric circuits at such voltage, which substation or switchyard may have a substantial adverse environmental effect, as determined by the council established under section 16-50j, and other facilities which may have a substantial adverse environmental effect as the council may, by regulation, prescribe; (5) such community antenna television towers and head-end structures, including associated equipment, which may have a substantial adverse environmental effect, as said council shall, by regulation, prescribe; (6) such telecommunication towers, including associated telecommunications equipment, owned or operated by the state, a public service company or a certified telecommunications provider or used in a cellular system, as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 47, Part 22, as amended, which may have a substantial adverse environmental effect, as said council shall, by regulation, prescribe; and (7) any component of a proposal submitted pursuant to the request-for-proposal process;

      (b) "Municipality" means a city, town or borough of the state and "municipal" has a correlative meaning;

      (c) "Person" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, public benefit corporation, political subdivision, governmental agency or authority, municipality, partnership, association, trust or estate and any other entity, public or private, however organized;

      (d) "Modification" means a significant change or alteration in the general physical characteristics of a facility;

      (e) "Transmission line tap" means an electrical transmission line not requested by an applicant to be treated as a facility that has the primary function, as determined by the council, of interconnecting a private power producing or cogeneration facility to the electrical power grid serving the state, and does not have a substantial adverse environmental effect, as determined by the council based on a review of the line's proposed purpose, the line's proposed length, the number and type of support structures, the number of manholes required for the proposed line, the necessity of entering a right-of-way including any easements or land acquisition for any construction or maintenance on the proposed line, and any other environmental, health or public safety factor considered relevant by the council;

      (f) "Emergency generating device" means an electric generating device with a generating capacity of five megawatts or less, installed primarily for the purpose of producing emergency backup electrical power for not more than five hundred hours per year, and that (1) does not have a substantial adverse environmental effect, as determined by the council, or (2) is owned and operated by an entity other than an electric, electric distribution or gas company or (3) is under construction or in operation prior to May 2, 1989; and

      (g) "Request-for-proposal process" or "request-for-proposal" means the process set forth in section 16a-7c.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 3; P.A. 73-41, S. 1, 2; 73-458, S. 1; P.A. 76-317, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-218, S. 2; P.A. 79-214, S. 3; 79-470; P.A. 80-81; P.A. 81-439, S. 4, 14; P.A. 83-569, S. 2, 17; P.A. 84-249, S. 1, 3; P.A. 86-336, S. 7, 19; P.A. 89-61, S. 1, 2; P.A. 94-74, S. 6, 11; P.A. 95-79, S. 50, 189; P.A. 98-28, S. 99, 117; P.A. 99-286, S. 8, 19; P.A. 03-140, S. 2, 3.)

      History: P.A. 73-41 included gas transmission lines with design capability of two hundred pounds per square inch gauge pressure or more in definition of "facility"; P.A. 73-458 added "which may have a substantial adverse environmental effect" in Subdiv. (4) of definition of "facility" and defined "modification"; P.A. 76-317 deleted references to length of lines in Subdivs. (1) and (2) of "facility" definition and rewording provision re pressure of gas transmission lines; P.A. 77-218 added Subdivs. (5) and (6) re community antenna television and telecommunications towers in definition of "facility"; P.A. 79-214 excluded facilities producing one or less megawatt of electricity by cogeneration technology from definition of "facility"; P.A. 79-470 changed height limit for telecommunications towers from one hundred to fifty feet in Subdiv. (6) of "facility" definition; P.A. 80-81 deleted reference to tower height in Subdiv. (6) of "facility" definition altogether and included reference to associated equipment; P.A. 81-439 excluded cogeneration facility having capacity of ten megawatts, rather than one megawatt, from definition of facility and limited exclusion to cogeneration and renewable energy facilities owned and operated by private power producers and qualifying under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978; P.A. 83-569 redefined "facility" to include certain substations and switchyards; P.A. 84-249 amended Subdiv. (6) of Subsec. (a) to include telecommunication towers used in a cellular system in the definition of "facility"; P.A. 86-336 amended Subpara. (iii) of Subdiv. (3) of Subsec. (a) to increase, from ten to twenty-five megawatts of electricity, the maximum generating capacity which a facility utilizing cogeneration technology must have in order to be excluded from definition of "facility"; P.A. 89-61 added provisions in Subsec. (a) eliminating transmissions line taps and emergency generating devices from the jurisdiction of the council and added new Subsecs. (e) and (f) defining a transmission line tap and an emergency generating device; P.A. 94-74 redefined "facility" to include provision re persons, firms or corporations certified to provide intrastate telecommunication services, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-79 redefined "person" to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 98-28 amended Subsec. (f) by adding electric distribution companies, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-286 amended Subsec. (a)(6) by changing reference to person, firm or corporation certified by the department to "certified telecommunications provider", effective July 19, 1999; P.A. 03-140 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change and to add Subdiv. (7) re any component of a proposal submitted pursuant to the request-for-proposal process, and added new Subsec. (g) defining "request-for-proposal process", effective October 1, 2004.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 488. Cited. 21 CA 85, 87.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 212 C. 157, 159.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 476. Subdiv. (3) cited. Id., 474, 475, 477, 487.

      Cited. 35 CS 303, 307.

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      Sec. 16-50j. Connecticut Siting Council. Regulations. Consultation with state agencies. State agency agreements with parties to proceeding. (a) There is established a "Connecticut Siting Council", hereinafter referred to as the "council", which shall be within the Department of Public Utility Control.

      (b) Except for proceedings under chapter 445, this subsection and subsection (c) of this section and sections 22a-134cc, 22a-134ff and 22a-163 to 22a-163u, inclusive, the council shall consist of: (1) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or his designee; (2) the chairman, or his designee, of the Public Utilities Control Authority; (3) one designee of the speaker of the House and one designee of the president pro tempore of the Senate; and (4) five members of the public, to be appointed by the Governor, at least two of whom shall be experienced in the field of ecology, and not more than one of whom shall have affiliation, past or present, with any utility or governmental utility regulatory agency, or with any person owning, operating, controlling, or presently contracting with respect to a facility, a hazardous waste facility as defined in section 22a-115, a regional low-level radioactive waste facility as defined in section 22a-163a or ash residue disposal area.

      (c) For proceedings under chapter 445, subsection (b) of this section, this subsection and sections 22a-134cc, 22a-134ff and 22a-163 to 22a-163u, inclusive, the council shall consist of (1) the Commissioners of Public Health and Public Safety or their designated representatives; (2) the designees of the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate as provided in subsection (b) of this section; (3) the five members of the public as provided in subsection (b) of this section; and (4) four ad hoc members, three of whom shall be electors from the municipality in which the proposed facility is to be located and one of whom shall be an elector from a neighboring municipality likely to be most affected by the proposed facility. The municipality most affected by the proposed facility shall be determined by the permanent members of the council. If any one of the five members of the public or of the designees of the speaker of the House of Representatives or the president pro tempore of the Senate resides (1) in the municipality in which a hazardous waste facility is proposed to be located for a proceeding concerning a hazardous waste facility or in which a low-level radioactive waste facility is proposed to be located for a proceeding concerning a low-level radioactive waste facility, or (2) in the neighboring municipality likely to be most affected by the proposed facility, the appointing authority shall appoint a substitute member for the proceedings on such proposal. If any appointee is unable to perform his duties on the council due to illness, or has a substantial financial or employment interest which is in conflict with the proper discharge of his duties under this chapter, the appointing authority shall appoint a substitute member for proceedings on such proposal. An appointee shall report any substantial financial or employment interest which might conflict with the proper discharge of his duties under this chapter to the appointing authority who shall determine if such conflict exists. If any state agency is the applicant, an appointee shall not be deemed to have a substantial employment conflict of interest because of employment with the state unless such appointee is directly employed by the state agency making the application. Ad hoc members shall be appointed by the chief elected official of the municipality they represent and shall continue their membership until the council issues a letter of completion of the development and management plan to the applicant.

      (d) For proceedings under sections 22a-285d to 22a-285h, inclusive, the council shall consist of (1) the Commissioners of Public Health and Public Safety or their designated representatives; (2) the designees of the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate as provided in subsection (b) of this section, and (3) five members of the public as provided in subsection (b) of this section. If any one of the five members of the public or of the designees of the speaker of the House of Representatives or the president pro tempore of the Senate resides in the municipality in which an ash residue disposal area is proposed to be located the appointing authority shall appoint a substitute member for the proceedings on such proposal. If any appointee is unable to perform his duties on the council due to illness, or has a substantial financial or employment interest which is in conflict with the proper discharge of his duties under sections 22a-285d to 22a-285h, inclusive, the appointing authority shall appoint a substitute member for proceedings on such proposal. An appointee shall report any substantial financial or employment interest which might conflict with the proper discharge of his duties under said sections to the appointing authority who shall determine if such conflict exists. If any state agency is the applicant, an appointee shall not be deemed to have a substantial employment conflict of interest because of employment with the state unless such appointee is directly employed by the state agency making the application.

      (e) The chairman of the council shall be appointed by the Governor from among the five public members appointed by him, with the advice and consent of the House or Senate, and shall serve as chairman at the pleasure of the Governor.

      (f) The public members of the council, including the chairman, the members appointed by the speaker of the House and president pro tempore of the Senate and the four ad hoc members specified in subsection (c) of this section, shall be compensated for their attendance at public hearings, executive sessions, or other council business as may require their attendance at the rate of one hundred fifty dollars, provided in no case shall the daily compensation exceed one hundred fifty dollars. The annual compensation for any member for attending such hearings shall not exceed twelve thousand dollars a year.

      (g) The council shall, in addition to its other duties prescribed in this chapter, adopt, amend, or rescind suitable regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter and the policies and practices of the council in connection therewith, and appoint and prescribe the duties of such staff as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The chairman of the council, with the consent of five or more other members of the council, may appoint an executive director, who shall be the chief administrative officer of the Connecticut Siting Council. The executive director shall be exempt from classified service.

      (h) Prior to commencing any hearing pursuant to section 16-50m, the council shall consult with and solicit written comments from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Public Health, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Utility Control, the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Transportation. In addition, the Department of Environmental Protection shall have the continuing responsibility to investigate and report to the council on all applications which prior to October 1, 1973, were within the jurisdiction of said Department of Environmental Protection with respect to the granting of a permit. Copies of such comments shall be made available to all parties prior to the commencement of the hearing. Subsequent to the commencement of the hearing, said departments and council may file additional written comments with the council within such period of time as the council designates. All such written comments shall be made part of the record provided by section 16-50o. Said departments and council shall not enter any contract or agreement with any party to the proceedings or hearings described in this section or section 16-50p, that requires said departments or council to withhold or retract comments, refrain from participating in or withdraw from said proceedings or hearings.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 4; 1972, P.A. 228; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 18; P.A. 73-458, S. 2; P.A. 75-375, S. 2, 12; P.A. 76-282, S. 1, 3; 76-319, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-223, S. 1, 2; 77-614, S. 19, 155, 162, 284, 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 80-482, S. 87, 348; P.A. 81-369, S. 3, 20; P.A. 82-209, S. 2, 3; P.A. 83-569, S. 3, 17; P.A. 86-336, S. 1, 19; P.A. 87-540, S. 24, 26; P.A. 88-102, S. 1, 2; 88-161, S. 1, 2; 88-361, S. 23, 29; P.A. 89-384, S. 11, 15; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 03-263, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(g); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; 04-236, S. 2.)

      History: 1972 acts replaced reference to administrative head of projected environment department and of department of agriculture and natural resources with commissioner of environmental protection and included members appointed by house speaker and senate president pro tem in compensation provision under Subsec. (d), replaced water resources, clean air and state park and forest commissions and board of fisheries and game with department of environmental protection and deleted "if and when established" referring to council on environmental quality in Subsec. (f); P.A. 73-458 required that council consult with public utilities and Connecticut development commissions and with office of state planning and added provision re continued responsibility of environmental protection department in Subsec. (f); P.A. 75-375 substituted Sec. 16-50m for 16-50p, required that copies of comments be available to parties before hearing and provided for additional written comments; P.A. 76-282 added reference to compensation for "such other council business as may require their attendance" in Subsec. (d); P.A. 76-319 replaced public utilities control commission with public utilities control authority pursuant to requirement of P.A. 75-486 and office of state planning with department of planning and energy policy and substituted "solicit written comments" for "obtain in writing the comments" in Subsec. (f); P.A. 77-223 required council to consult with department of transportation in Subsec. (f); P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced department of planning and energy policy with office of policy and management and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced department of commerce with department of economic development, replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, and replaced department of health with department of health services; P.A. 80-482 made division of public utility control an independent department and deleted reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 81-369 replaced power facility evaluation council with Connecticut Siting Council, inserted new Subsec. (c) re council as constituted for proceedings under Ch. 445, redesignating remaining Subsecs. accordingly and required compensation for ad hoc members; P.A. 82-209 amended Subsec. (c) to add provisions re determination of conflict of interest and re appointment of substitute member where conflict of interest exists; P.A. 83-569 increased members compensation for hearings to one hundred dollars and limited annual compensation for hearings to not more than four thousand dollars; P.A. 86-336 amended Subsec. (e) to increase maximum annual compensation from $4000 to $8000; P.A. 87-540 added references to regional low-level radioactive waste facility, effective upon designation of Connecticut as a host state by the Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, i.e. December 23, 1987; P.A. 88-102 added a provision to Subsec. (f) which enabled the Connecticut Siting Council to appoint an executive director and provided that the executive director shall be exempt from classified service; P.A. 88-161 amended Subsec. (e) to authorize compensation for a member's attendance at executive sessions or other council business which requires attendance, to increase daily compensation to one hundred fifty dollars and to increase annual compensation to a maximum of twelve thousand dollars; P.A. 88-361 made technical changes in Subsec. (c); P.A. 89-384 authorized selection of public member who is affiliated with an ash residue disposal area and inserted new Subsec. (d) re proceedings under Secs. 22a-285d to 22a-285h, inclusive, relettering former Subsecs. (d) to (g) accordingly; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; (Revisor's note: The Revisors editorially changed a reference in Subsec. (d) from "municipality in which a ash residue disposal area ..." to "municipality in which an ash residue disposal area ...", to correct a clerical error); P.A. 03-263 amended Subsec. (h) to include the Department of Agriculture as a department to be consulted prior to the council commencing any hearing pursuant to Sec. 16-50m and to prohibit departments, council and commissions from entering any contract or agreement with any party to proceeding or hearing that requires such entity to withhold or retract comments, refrain from participation in or withdraw from proceeding or the hearing, effective July 9, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Department of Agriculture with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 04-236 made technical changes in Subsec. (h), effective June 8, 2004.

      See title 2c re termination under "Sunset Law".

      See Sec. 4-9a for definition of "public member".

      Cited. 180 C. 474, 477. Cited. 216 C. 1, 2.

      Subsec. (g):

      Cited. 212 C. 157, 160.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 486, 491.

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      Sec. 16-50k. Certificate of environmental compatibility and public need. Transfer. Amendment. Excepted matters. Waiver. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of section 16-50z, no person shall exercise any right of eminent domain in contemplation of, commence the preparation of the site for, or commence the construction or supplying of a facility, or commence any modification of a facility, that may, as determined by the council, have a substantial adverse environmental effect in the state without having first obtained a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need, hereinafter referred to as a "certificate", issued with respect to such facility or modification by the council, except fuel cells with a generating capacity of ten kilowatts or less which shall not require such certificate. Any facility with respect to which a certificate is required shall thereafter be built, maintained and operated in conformity with such certificate and any terms, limitations or conditions contained therein. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or title 16a, the council shall, in the exercise of its jurisdiction over the siting of generating facilities, approve by declaratory ruling (1) the construction of a facility solely for the purpose of generating electricity, other than an electric generating facility that uses nuclear materials or coal as fuel, at a site where an electric generating facility operated prior to July 1, 1998, (2) the construction or location of any fuel cell, unless the council finds a substantial adverse environmental effect, and (3) the siting of temporary generation solicited by the Department of Public Utility Control pursuant to section 16-19ss.

      (b) A certificate may be transferred, subject to the approval of the council, to a person who agrees to comply with the terms, limitations and conditions contained therein. The council shall not approve any such transfer if it finds that such transfer was contemplated at or prior to the time the certificate was issued and such fact was not adequately disclosed during the certification proceeding.

      (c) A certificate issued pursuant to this chapter may be amended as provided in this chapter.

      (d) This chapter shall apply to any facility described in subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, the construction of which is commenced on or after April 1, 1972, and to any such facility the construction of which is approved by a municipality that has commenced the sale of bonds or bond anticipation notes on or after April 1, 1972, the proceeds or part of the proceeds of which are to finance such construction. This chapter shall apply to any facility described in subdivision (4) of said subsection (a) of section 16-50i, the construction of which is commenced on or after July 1, 1983, and to any such facility the construction of which is approved by a municipality that has commenced the sale of bonds or bond anticipation notes on or after July 1, 1983, the proceeds or part of the proceeds of which are to finance such construction. This chapter shall apply to any facility described in subdivisions (5) and (6) of said subsection, the construction of which is commenced on or after October 1, 1977, and to any such facility the construction of which is approved by a municipality that has commenced the sale of bonds or bond anticipation notes on or after October 1, 1977, the proceeds or part of the proceeds of which are to finance such construction. This chapter shall apply to the modification of a facility described in subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of said subsection (a) for which construction is commenced on or after April 1, 1972, modifications of a facility described in subdivision (4) of said subsection (a) for which construction is commenced on or after July 1, 1983, and modifications of a facility described in subdivisions (5) and (6) of said subsection (a) of section 16-50i, for which construction is commenced on or after October 1, 1977, whenever such modification either alone or in combination with existing or other proposed facility modifications may, as determined by the council, have a substantial adverse environmental effect. This chapter shall not apply to any matter over which any agency, department or instrumentality of the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction, or has jurisdiction concurrent with that of the state and has exercised such jurisdiction, to the exclusion of regulation of such matter by the state.

      (e) Any person intending to construct a facility excluded from one or more provisions of this chapter may, to the extent permitted by law, elect to waive such exclusion by delivering notice of such waiver to the council. Such provisions shall thereafter apply to each facility identified in such notice from the date of its receipt by the council.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 5; P.A. 73-458, S. 3; P.A. 76-359, S. 4, 7; P.A. 77-218, S. 3; P.A. 83-569, S. 15, 17; P.A. 98-28, S. 49, 117; P.A. 00-93; P.A. 01-49, S. 7; P.A. 03-140, S. 6.)

      History: P.A. 73-458 added exception re Sec. 16-50y in Subsec. (a) and qualified applicability of chapter in Subsec. (d) with regard to modification of facilities; P.A. 76-359 replaced reference to Sec. 16-50y in Subsec. (a) with reference to Subsec. (b) of Sec. 16-50z; P.A. 77-218 clarified applicability provisions of Subsec. (d); P.A. 83-569 amended Subsec. (d) to limit application of chapter to facilities described in Subdiv. (4) of Subsec. (a) of Sec. 16-50i (substations and switchyards) to those constructed on or after July 1, 1983; P.A. 98-28 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the council to approve by declaratory ruling the siting of electric generation facilities that do not use nuclear materials or coal as fuel, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 00-93 amended Subsec. (a) by excepting fuel cells with a generating capacity of ten kilowatts or less and by adding provision re approval by declaratory ruling of the construction or location of fuel cells; P.A. 01-49 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes; P.A. 03-140 amended Subsec. (a) to replace "this subsection" with "this chapter or title 16a" and to add Subdiv. (3) re siting of temporary generation, effective June 26, 2003.

      See Sec. 26-194 re payment of annual host payment fee to Commissioner of Agriculture for Long Island Sound crossings.

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 624. Cited. 192 C. 591, 595. Cited. 215 C. 474, 476. Cited. 238 C. 361.

      Cited. 37 CA 653, 655; judgment reversed, see 238 C. 361 et seq.

      Cited. 35 CS 303, 307, 308, 311.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 630. Cited. 220 C. 516, 521.

      Subsec. (b):

      Cited. 216 C. 1, 3, 8, 9.

      Subsec. (c):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 626, 630.

      Subsec. (d):

      A period of protection not provided when construction commenced prior to April 1, 1972. 165 C. 687.

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      Sec. 16-50l. Application for certificate. Notice. Application or resolution for amendment of certificate. (a)(1) To initiate a certification proceeding, an applicant for a certificate shall file with the council an application, in such form as the council may prescribe, accompanied by a filing fee of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars, which fee shall be established in accordance with section 16-50t, and a municipal participation fee of twenty-five thousand dollars to be deposited in the account established pursuant to section 16-50bb, except that an application for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i shall not pay such municipal participation fee. An application shall contain such information as the applicant may consider relevant and the council or any department or agency of the state exercising environmental controls may by regulation require, including the following information:

      (A) In the case of facilities described in subdivisions (1), (2) and (4) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i: (i) A description, including estimated costs, of the proposed transmission line, substation or switchyard, covering, where applicable underground cable sizes and specifications, overhead tower design and appearance and heights, if any, conductor sizes, and initial and ultimate voltages and capacities; (ii) a statement and full explanation of why the proposed transmission line, substation or switchyard is necessary and how the facility conforms to a long-range plan for expansion of the electric power grid serving the state and interconnected utility systems, that will serve the public need for adequate, reliable and economic service; (iii) a map of suitable scale of the proposed routing or site, showing details of the rights-of-way or site in the vicinity of settled areas, parks, recreational areas and scenic areas, residential areas, private or public schools, licensed child day care facilities, licensed youth camps, and public playgrounds and showing existing transmission lines within one mile of the proposed route or site; (iv) justification for adoption of the route or site selected, including comparison with alternative routes or sites which are environmentally, technically and economically practical; (v) a description of the effect of the proposed transmission line, substation or switchyard on the environment, ecology, and scenic, historic and recreational values; (vi) a justification for overhead portions, if any, including life-cycle cost studies comparing overhead alternatives with underground alternatives, and effects described in clause (v) of this subparagraph of undergrounding; (vii) a schedule of dates showing the proposed program of right-of-way or property acquisition, construction, completion and operation; (viii) identification of each federal, state, regional, district and municipal agency with which proposed route or site reviews have been undertaken, including a copy of each written agency position on such route or site; and (ix) an assessment of the impact of any electromagnetic fields to be produced by the proposed transmission line; and

      (B) In the case of facilities described in subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i: (i) A description of the proposed electric generating or storage facility; (ii) a statement and full explanation of why the proposed facility is necessary; (iii) a statement of loads and resources as described in section 16-50r; (iv) safety and reliability information, including planned provisions for emergency operations and shutdowns; (v) estimated cost information, including plant costs, fuel costs, plant service life and capacity factor, and total generating cost per kilowatt-hour, both at the plant and related transmission, and comparative costs of alternatives considered; (vi) a schedule showing the program for design, material acquisition, construction and testing, and operating dates; (vii) available site information, including maps and description and present and proposed development, and geological, scenic, ecological, seismic, biological, water supply, population and load center data; (viii) justification for adoption of the site selected, including comparison with alternative sites; (ix) design information, including a description of facilities, plant efficiencies, electrical connections to the system, and control systems; (x) a description of provisions, including devices and operations, for mitigation of the effect of the operation of the facility on air and water quality, for waste disposal, and for noise abatement, and information on other environmental aspects; and (xi) a listing of federal, state, regional, district and municipal agencies from which approvals either have been obtained or will be sought covering the proposed facility, copies of approvals received and the planned schedule for obtaining those approvals not yet received.

      (2) On or after December 1, 2004, the filing of an application pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall initiate the request-for-proposal process, except for an application for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i.

      (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, an entity that has submitted a proposal pursuant to the request-for-proposal process may initiate a certification proceeding by filing with the council an application containing the information required pursuant to this section, accompanied by a filing fee of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars, which fee shall be established in accordance with section 16-50t, and a municipal participation fee of twenty-five thousand dollars to be deposited in the account established pursuant to section 16-50bb, not later than thirty days after the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board performs the evaluation process pursuant to subsection (f) of section 16a-7c.

      (b) Each application shall be accompanied by proof of service of a copy of such application on: (1) Each municipality in which any portion of such facility is to be located, both as primarily proposed and in the alternative locations listed, and any adjoining municipality having a boundary not more than two thousand five hundred feet from such facility, which copy shall be served on the chief executive officer of each such municipality and shall include notice of the date on or about which the application is to be filed, and the zoning commissions, planning commissions, planning and zoning commissions, conservation commissions and inland wetlands agencies of each such municipality, and the regional planning agencies which encompass each such municipality; (2) the Attorney General; (3) each member of the legislature in whose assembly or senate district the facility or any alternative location listed in the application is to be located; (4) any agency, department or instrumentality of the federal government that has jurisdiction, whether concurrent with the state or otherwise, over any matter that would be affected by such facility; (5) each state department, agency and commission named in subsection (h) of section 16-50j; and (6) such other state and municipal bodies as the council may by regulation designate. A notice of such application shall be given to the general public, in municipalities entitled to receive notice under subdivision (1) of this subsection, by the publication of a summary of such application and the date on or about which it will be filed. Such notice shall be published under the regulations to be promulgated by the council, in such form and in such newspapers as will serve substantially to inform the public of such application and to afford interested persons sufficient time to prepare for and to be heard at the hearing prescribed in section 16-50m. Such notice shall be published in not less than ten-point type. A notice of such an application for a certificate for a facility described in subdivision (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i shall also be sent, by certified or registered mail, to each person appearing of record as an owner of property which abuts the proposed primary or alternative sites on which the facility would be located. Such notice shall be sent at the same time that notice of such application is given to the general public. Notice of an application for a certificate for a facility described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i shall also be provided to each electric company or electric distribution company customer in the municipality where the facility is proposed to be placed. Such notice shall (A) be provided on a separate enclosure with each customer's monthly bill for one or more months, (B) be provided by the electric company or electric distribution company not earlier than sixty days prior to filing the application with the council, but not later than the date that the application is filed with the council, and (C) include: A brief description of the project, including its location relative to the affected municipality and adjacent streets; a brief technical description of the project including its proposed length, voltage, and type and range of heights of support structures or underground configuration; the reason for the project; the address and a toll-free telephone number of the applicant by which additional information about the project can be obtained; and a statement in print no smaller than twenty-four-point type size stating "NOTICE OF PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINE".

      (c) An application for a certificate shall contain information on the extent to which the proposed facility has been identified in, and is consistent with, the annual forecast reports and life-cycle cost analysis required by section 16-50r and other advance planning that has been carried out, and shall include an explanation for any failure of the facility to conform with such information.

      (d) An amendment proceeding may be initiated by an application for amendment of a certificate filed with the council by the holder of the certificate or by a resolution of the council. An amendment application by a certificate holder shall be in such form and contain such information as the council shall prescribe. A resolution for amendment by the council shall identify the design, location or route of the portion of a certificated facility described in subdivisions (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i which is subject to modification on the basis of stated conditions or events which could not reasonably have been known or foreseen prior to the issuance of the certificate. No such resolution for amendment of a certificate shall be adopted after the commencement of site preparation or construction of the certificated facility or, in the case of a facility for which approval by the council of a right-of-way development and management plan or other detailed construction plan is a condition of the certificate, after approval of that part of the plan which includes the portion of the facility proposed for modification. A copy and notice of each amendment application shall be given by the holder of the certificate in the manner set forth in subsection (b) of this section. A copy and notice of each resolution for amendment shall be given by the council in the manner set forth in subsection (b) of this section. The council shall also provide the certificate holder with a copy of such resolution. The certificate holder and the council shall not be required to give such copy and notice to municipalities and the commissions and agencies of such municipalities other than those in which the modified portion of the facility would be located.

      (e) Except as provided in subsection (e) of section 16a-7c, at least sixty days prior to the filing of an application with the council, the applicant shall consult with the municipality in which the facility may be located and with any other municipality required to be served with a copy of the application under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section concerning the proposed and alternative sites of the facility. For a facility described in subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, the applicant shall submit to the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board the same information that it provides to a municipality pursuant to this subsection on the same day of the consultation with the municipality. Such consultation with the municipality shall include, but not be limited to good faith efforts to meet with the chief elected official of the municipality. At the time of the consultation, the applicant shall provide the chief elected official with any technical reports concerning the public need, the site selection process and the environmental effects of the proposed facility. The municipality may conduct public hearings and meetings as it deems necessary for it to advise the applicant of its recommendations concerning the proposed facility. Within sixty days of the initial consultation, the municipality shall issue its recommendations to the applicant. No later than fifteen days after submitting an application to the council, the applicant shall provide to the council all materials provided to the municipality and a summary of the consultations with the municipality including all recommendations issued by the municipality.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 6; P.A. 73-458, S. 5; P.A. 75-375, S. 3, 12; 75-509, S. 1, 4; P.A. 76-359, S. 2, 7; P.A. 79-537, S. 1; P.A. 83-569, S. 4, 17; P.A. 86-187, S. 2, 10; P.A. 89-45, S. 2, 4; 89-104; P.A. 94-176, S. 1; P.A. 98-28, S. 100, 117; P.A. 99-141, S. 2, 4; P.A. 03-140, S. 4, 5, 7; P.A. 04-236, S. 3-5; 04-246, S. 1, 2.)

      History: P.A. 73-458 amended Subsec. (a) to require statement of how facility conforms to long-range plan for expansion of power grid in (1)(B), to delete statement of methods of eliminating overhead portions in (1)(F), to delete reference to statement of applicants understanding of agency's position in (1)(H), to delete requirement that statement of loads and resources be by area in (2)(C) and to delete requirement for setting out plants costs by accounts and expenses by categories and amended Subsec. (b) to require that application copies be sent to zoning, planning, zoning and planning and conservation commissions, to inland wetland and regional planning agencies, to state departments, agencies and commissions named in Sec. 16-50j(f) and to others designated by council; P.A. 75-375 added references to environmentally, technically and economically practical routes in Subsec. (a)(1)(D); P.A. 75-509 required that notice in Subsec. (b) "be published in not less than ten-point, boldface type"; P.A. 76-359 added Subsec. (d); P.A. 79-537 clarified language with minor changes to Subsecs. (a) and (b), deleted Subsec. (c) summarizing section provisions, relettered Subsec. (d) as (c) and added new Subsec. (d) re amendments; P.A. 83-569 amended Subsec. (a) to include references to substations and switchyards; P.A. 86-187 amended Subsec. (b) to require council to send notice of certain applications to abutting property owners; P.A. 89-45 deleted requirement re notices published in boldface type; P.A. 89-104 added new Subsec. (e) re consultation with and input of municipality concerning proposed or alternative sites of a facility; P.A. 94-176 amended Subsec. (a) by adding "life-cycle" and "comparing overhead alternatives with underground alternatives" in Subpara. (F), amended Subsec. (b) by changing Subpara. designations to Subdiv. designations and adding provisions re notice of an application for a certificate, and amended Subsec. (c) by changing "identified in the annual forecast reports" to "identified in, and is consistent with, the annual forecast reports and life-cycle cost analysis" and replacing "failure to so identify the facility" with "failure of the facility to conform with such information"; P.A. 98-28 amended Subsec. (b) by adding electric distribution companies, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-141 amended Subsec. (b) by adding reference to adjoining municipality having boundary not more than two thousand five hundred feet from facility and making a technical change in Subdiv. (1) and amended Subsec. (e) by adding reference to any other municipality required to be served, effective June 8, 1999, and applicable to applications pending before the Connecticut Siting Council on or after that date; P.A. 03-140 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re municipal participation fee and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2003, and further amended said Subsec. to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and make conforming changes therein, to add Subdiv. (2) re initiation of the request-for-proposal process, and to add Subdiv. (3) re filing of an application after submitting a proposal pursuant to the request-for-proposal process, effective December 1, 2004, and amended Subsec. (e) to add exception re Sec. 16a-7c, to make technical changes, and to add provision re submitting information to the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board for certain types of facilities, effective October 1, 2004; P.A. 04-236 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B) to make technical changes, effective December 1, 2004, and amended Subsec. (a)(2) to make technical changes, effective June 8, 2004; P.A. 04-246 amended Subsec. (a) to add "residential areas, private or public schools, licensed child day care facilities, licensed youth camps, and public playgrounds" to mapping requirements, to add provision re assessment of the impact of any electromagnetic fields to be produced by proposed transmission line, and to make a technical change, effective June 3, 2004, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need that was originally filed on or after October 1, 2003, for which the Connecticut Siting Council has not rendered a decision upon the record prior to June 3, 2004.

      See chapter 54 re uniform administrative procedure.

      See Sec. 16a-7c re the request-for-proposal process.

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 625. Cited. 215 C. 474, 477, 479, 482, 483. Notice requirements and jurisdictional effect discussed. 216 C. 1, 5, 7, 9, 10. Cited. 217 C. 143, 144.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 476, 479.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 630.

      Subsec. (b):

      Cited. 215 C. 474, 477, 482, 483. Cited. 216 C. 1, 3, 8, 9.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 478-480.

      Subsec. (c):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 630.

      Subsec. (d):

      Cited. 37 CA 653, 662; judgment reversed, see 238 C. 361 et seq.

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      Sec. 16-50m. Public hearing. Notice. (a) The council shall promptly fix a commencement date and location for a public hearing on an application for a certificate complying with section 16-50l (1) where no proposals are received pursuant to the request-for-proposal process, not less than thirty days after the deadline for submission of such proposals or more than sixty days after such deadline; (2) where a proposal is received pursuant to the request-for-proposal process, not less than thirty days after the deadline of submission of an application pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 16-50l or more than sixty days after such deadline; or (3) where the application is for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, not less than thirty days after receipt of an application or more than one hundred fifty days after such receipt. Applications that are common to a request-for-proposal shall be heard under a consolidated public hearing process. At least one session of such hearing shall be held at a location selected by the council in the county in which the facility or any part thereof is to be located after six-thirty p.m. for the convenience of the general public. After holding at least one hearing session in the county in which the facility or any part thereof is to be located, the council may, in its discretion, hold additional hearing sessions at other locations. If the proposed facility is to be located in more than one county, the council shall fix the location for at least one public hearing session in whichever county it determines is most appropriate, provided the council may hold hearing sessions in more than one county.

      (b) (1) The council shall hold a hearing on an application for an amendment of a certificate not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days after receipt of the application in the same manner as a hearing is held on an application for a certificate if, in the opinion of the council, the change to be authorized in the facility would result in any material increase in any environmental impact of such facility or would result in a substantial change in the location of all or a portion of the facility, other than as provided in the alternatives set forth in the original application for the certificate, provided the council may, in its discretion, return without prejudice an application for an amendment of a certificate to the applicant with a statement of the reasons for such return. (2) The council may hold a hearing on a resolution for amendment of a certificate not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days after adoption of the resolution in the same manner as provided in subsection (a) of this section. The council shall hold a hearing if a request for a hearing is received from the certificate holder or from a person entitled to be a party to the proceedings within twenty days after publication of notice of the resolution. Such hearing shall be held not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days after the receipt of such request in the same manner as provided in subsection (a) of this section. (3) The county in which the facility is deemed to be located for purposes of a hearing under this subsection shall be the county in which the portion of the facility proposed for modification is located.

      (c) The council shall cause notices of the date and location of each hearing to be mailed, within one week of the fixing of the date and location, to the applicant and each person entitled under section 16-50l to receive a copy of the application or resolution. The general notice to the public shall be published in not less than ten point, boldface type.

      (d) Hearings, including general hearings on issues which may be common to more than one application, may be held before a majority of the members of the council.

      (e) During any hearing on an application or resolution held pursuant to this section, the council may take notice of any facts found at a general hearing.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 7; P.A. 73-339, S. 1, 2; 73-458, S. 6; P.A. 75-375, S. 4, 12; 75-509, S. 2-4; P.A. 76-282, S. 2, 3; P.A. 79-537, S. 2; P.A. 90-254, S. 1; P.A. 03-140, S. 8; P.A. 04-257, S. 29.)

      History: P.A. 73-339 added provision re hearing location when facility to be in more than one county in Subsec. (a); P.A. 73-458 added Subsec. (d) requiring majority of members for hearings and proceedings; P.A. 75-375 required that hearing commence not more than one hundred fifty rather than one hundred eighty days after receipt of application, clarified applicable hearings under Subsec. (d) and added Subsec. (e) re facts found at general hearing; P.A. 75-509 required one evening session of hearing in Subsec. (a) and required that published notice be in "not less than ten-point, boldface type"; P.A. 76-282 added proviso in Subsec. (b) re return of application for amendment; P.A. 79-537 clarified language by making minor changes and amended Subsec. (b) to require hearing on amendment application between thirty and sixty days after its receipt and to add provisions re hearings on resolutions; P.A. 90-254 made change to specify that the first hearing session be held in the county in which the facility is located; P.A. 03-140 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision re fixing commencement date and location for a public hearing, to add Subdivs. (1) to (3) re fixing commencement date and location for a public hearing based on certain situations, and to add provision re consolidated public hearing process for applications that are common to a request-for-proposal, effective October 1, 2004; P.A. 04-257 made technical changes in Subsec. (a).

      See Sec. 16a-7c re the request-for-proposal process.

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 625. Cited. 215 C. 474, 479, 480, 483. Cited. 216 C. 1, 4.

      Cited. 37 CA 653, 663; judgment reversed, see 238 C. 361 et seq.

      Subsec. (b):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 626, 627, 630.

      Subsec. (c):

      Cited. 212 C. 157, 159. Cited. 215 C. 474, 482, 483. Cited. 216 C. 1, 5.

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      Sec. 16-50n. Parties to a certification or amendment proceeding or a declaratory ruling. Grouping of parties. Intervenors. Counsel and consultant to council. Limited appearances. (a) The parties to a certification or amendment proceeding or to a declaratory ruling proceeding shall include: (1) The applicant, certificate holder, or petitioner; (2) each person entitled to receive a copy of the application or resolution under section 16-50l, if such person has filed with the council a notice of intent to be a party; (3) any domestic or qualified nonprofit corporation or association formed in whole or in part to promote conservation or natural beauty, to protect the environment, personal health or biological values, to preserve historical sites, to promote consumer interests, to represent commercial and industrial groups or to promote the orderly development of the areas in which the facility is to be located, if it has filed with the council a notice of intent to be a party; and (4) such other persons as the council may at any time deem appropriate.

      (b) The council may permit any person to participate as an intervenor, in accordance with the provisions of section 4-177a, in a certification or amendment proceeding or a declaratory ruling proceeding.

      (c) The council in its discretion may provide for the grouping of parties and intervenors with the same interests. If such a group does not designate an agent for the service of notice and documents, the council shall designate such an agent, and notice and documents need be served only on the designated agent. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any party or intervenor who has been included in a group may, at any time by oral or written notice to the council, elect not to be a member of the group to the extent specified in such notice.

      (d) The Attorney General shall appoint an assistant attorney general or a special assistant attorney general to act as counsel for the Connecticut Siting Council.

      (e) Upon receipt of the application, the council may employ one or more independent consultants to study and measure the consequences of the proposed facility on the environment. The council shall direct such consultant or consultants to study any matter that the council deems important to an adequate appraisal of the application. Any such study and any report issued as a result thereof shall be part of the record of the proceeding.

      (f) Any person may make a limited appearance at a hearing held pursuant to the provisions of section 16-50m, prior thereto or within thirty days thereafter, entitling such person to file a statement in writing. At the discretion of the council any person may make a limited appearance at any such hearing to present an oral statement under oath. All papers and matters filed by a person making a limited appearance shall become part of the record. No person making a limited appearance, and not otherwise entitled to be a party, shall be a party or shall have the right to cross-examine witnesses, parties or intervenors.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 8; P.A. 73-458, S. 7; P.A. 75-375, S. 5, 12; P.A. 79-537, S. 3; P.A. 86-187, S. 6, 10; P.A. 89-45, S. 3, 4; P.A. 90-230, S. 84, 101.)

      History: P.A. 73-458 amended Subdiv. (2) of Subsec. (a) to include as parties persons giving notice of intent to be a party, rather than persons who have not given notice that they do not want to be parties and clarified limited appearances in Subsec. (d) by replacing reference to appearance "at any time in the proceeding" with reference to appearance before hearing or within thirty days after hearing and provided that persons making limited appearance are not subject to cross-examination; P.A. 75-375 deleted fifteen-day deadline for filing of intent to be a party in Subsec. (a)(2), inserted new Subsec. (b) re grouping of parties and relettered former Subsecs. (b) to (d) as (c) to (e); P.A. 79-537 added references to amendment proceedings, certificate holders and resolutions in Subsec. (a) and deleted twenty-day deadline for filing of notice of intent by nonprofit corporations under Subsec. (a)(3); P.A. 86-187 replaced power facility evaluation council with Connecticut siting council in Subsec. (c); P.A. 89-45 included provision in Subsec. (a) allowing council to issue declaratory rulings, added Subsec. (b) permitting intervenors in council proceeding, included provision in Subsec. (f) re limited appearances at hearings to present oral statement and relettered Subsecs. (b), (c), (d) and (e) as Subsecs. (c), (d), (e) and (f); P.A. 90-230 made technical change to Subsec. (b).

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 625.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 486.

      Subsec. (d):

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 485.

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      Sec. 16-50o. Record of hearing. Rights of parties. Administrative notice re electromagnetic fields. (a) A record shall be made of the hearing and of all testimony taken and the cross-examinations thereon. Every party or group of parties as provided in section 16-50n shall have the right to present such oral or documentary evidence and to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts.

      (b) For an application on a facility described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, the council shall administratively notice completed and ongoing scientific and medical research on electromagnetic fields.

      (c) The applicant shall submit into the record the full text of the terms of any agreement, and a statement of any consideration therefor, if not contained in such agreement, entered into by the applicant and any party to the certification proceeding, or any third party, in connection with the construction or operation of the facility. This provision shall not require the public disclosure of proprietary information or trade secrets.

      (d) The results of the evaluation process pursuant to subsection (f) of section 16a-7c shall be part of the record, where applicable.

      (e) A copy of the record shall be available at all reasonable times for examination by the public without cost at the principal office of the council. A copy of the transcript of testimony at the hearing shall be filed at an appropriate public office, as determined by the council, in each county in which the facility or any part thereof is proposed to be located.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 9; P.A. 75-375, S. 6, 12; P.A. 03-140, S. 9; P.A. 04-246, S. 8, 9.)

      History: P.A. 75-375 included grouped parties in Subsec. (a) and required transcript copy to be filed at designated public office in county rather than municipality where facility to be located; P.A. 03-140 added new Subsec. (b) re submitting into the record terms of agreements, added Subsec. (c) re results of the evaluation process and redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d), effective October 1, 2004; P.A. 04-246 added new Subsec. (b) re administrative notice of research on electromagnetic fields and redesignated existing Subsecs., effective June 3, 2004, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need that was originally filed on or after October 1, 2003, for which the Connecticut Siting Council has not rendered a decision upon the record prior to June 3, 2004.

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      Sec. 16-50p. Certification proceeding decisions: Timing, opinion, factors considered. Telecommunications and community antenna television facilities: Additional factors considered, conditions. Modification of location. Amendment proceeding decisions. Service and notice. "Public need" defined. (a)(1) In a certification proceeding, the council shall render a decision upon the record either granting or denying the application as filed, or granting it upon such terms, conditions, limitations or modifications of the construction or operation of the facility as the council may deem appropriate.

      (2) The council's decision shall be rendered in accordance with the following:

      (A) Not later than twelve months after the deadline for filing an application following the request-for-proposal process for a facility described in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i or subdivision (4) of said subsection (a) if the application was incorporated in an application concerning a facility described in subdivision (1) of said subsection (a);

      (B) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the deadline for filing an application following the request-for-proposal process for a facility described in subdivision (4) of said subsection (a), and an application concerning a facility described in subdivision (3) of said subsection (a), provided such time periods may be extended by the council by not more than one hundred eighty days with the consent of the applicant; and

      (C) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the filing of an application for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of said subsection (a), provided such time period may be extended by the council by not more than one hundred eighty days with the consent of the applicant.

      (3) The council shall file, with its order, an opinion stating in full its reasons for the decision. The council shall not grant a certificate, either as proposed or as modified by the council, unless it shall find and determine:

      (A) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, public need for the facility and the basis of the need;

      (B) The nature of the probable environmental impact of the facility alone and cumulatively with other existing facilities, including a specification of every significant adverse effect, including, but not limited to, electromagnetic fields that, whether alone or cumulatively with other effects, on, and conflict with the policies of the state concerning, the natural environment, ecological balance, public health and safety, scenic, historic and recreational values, forests and parks, air and water purity and fish, aquaculture and wildlife;

      (C) Why the adverse effects or conflicts referred to in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision are not sufficient reason to deny the application;

      (D) In the case of an electric transmission line, (i) what part, if any, of the facility shall be located overhead, (ii) that the facility conforms to a long-range plan for expansion of the electric power grid of the electric systems serving the state and interconnected utility systems and will serve the interests of electric system economy and reliability, and (iii) that the overhead portions, if any, of the facility are cost effective and the most appropriate alternative based on a life-cycle cost analysis of the facility and underground alternatives to such facility, are consistent with the purposes of this chapter, with such regulations or standards as the council may adopt pursuant to section 16-50t, including, but limited to, the council's best management practices for electric and magnet fields for electric transmission lines and with the Federal Power Commission "Guidelines for the Protection of Natural Historic Scenic and Recreational Values in the Design and Location of Rights-of-Way and Transmission Facilities" or any successor guidelines and any other applicable federal guidelines and are to be contained within an area that provides a buffer zone that protects the public health and safety, as determined by the council. In establishing such buffer zone, the council shall take into consideration, among other things, residential areas, private or public schools, licensed child day care facilities, licensed youth camps or public playgrounds adjacent to the proposed route of the overhead portions and the level of the voltage of the overhead portions and any existing overhead transmission lines on the proposed route. At a minimum, the existing right-of-way shall serve as the buffer zone;

      (E) In the case of an electric or fuel transmission line, that the location of the line will not pose an undue hazard to persons or property along the area traversed by the line;

      (F) In the case of an application that was heard under a consolidated hearing process with other applications that were common to a request-for-proposal, that the facility proposed in the subject application represents the most appropriate alternative among such applications based on the findings and determinations pursuant to this subsection; and

      (G) In the case of a facility described in subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i that is proposed to be installed on land under agricultural restriction, as provided in section 22-26cc, that the facility will not result in a material decrease of acreage and productivity of the arable land.

      (b) (1) Prior to granting an applicant's certificate for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of section 16-50i, the council shall examine, in addition to its consideration of subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section: (A) The feasibility of requiring an applicant to share an existing facility, as defined in subsection (b) of section 16-50aa, within a technically derived search area of the site of the proposed facility, provided such shared use is technically, legally, environmentally and economically feasible and meets public safety concerns, (B) whether such facility, if constructed, may be shared with any public or private entity which provides telecommunications or community antenna television service to the public, provided such shared use is technically, legally, environmentally and economically feasible at fair market rates, meets public safety concerns, and the parties' interests have been considered and (C) whether the proposed facility would be located in an area of the state which the council, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection and any affected municipalities, finds to be a relatively undisturbed area that possesses scenic quality of local, regional or state-wide significance. The council may deny an application for a certificate if it determines that (i) shared use under the provisions of subparagraph (A) of this subdivision is feasible, (ii) the applicant would not cooperate relative to the future shared use of the proposed facility, or (iii) the proposed facility would substantially affect the scenic quality of its location and no public safety concerns require that the proposed facility be constructed in such a location.

      (2) When issuing a certificate for a facility described in subdivision (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, the council may impose such reasonable conditions as it deems necessary to promote immediate and future shared use of such facilities and avoid the unnecessary proliferation of such facilities in the state. The council shall, prior to issuing a certificate, provide notice of the proposed facility to the municipality in which the facility is to be located. Upon motion of the council, written request by a public or private entity which provides telecommunications or community antenna television service to the public or upon written request by an interested party, the council may conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether the holder of a certificate for such a facility is in compliance with the certificate. Following its investigation, the council may initiate a certificate review proceeding, which shall include a hearing, to determine whether the holder of a certificate for such a facility is in compliance with the certificate. In such proceeding, the council shall render a decision and may issue orders which it deems necessary to compel compliance with the certificate, which orders may include, but not be limited to, revocation of the certificate. Such orders may be enforced in accordance with the provisions of section 16-50u.

      (c) (1) The council shall not grant a certificate for a facility described in subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, either as proposed or as modified by the council, unless it finds and determines a public benefit for the facility.

      (2) The council shall not grant a certificate for a facility described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i which is substantially underground or underwater except where such facilities interconnect with existing overhead facilities, either as proposed or as modified by the council, unless it finds and determines a public benefit for the facility, in the case of such facility that is substantially underground, and a public need for such facility, in the case of such facility that is substantially underwater.

      (3) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, a public benefit exists if such a facility is necessary for the reliability of the electric power supply of the state or for the development of a competitive market for electricity and a public need exists if such facility is necessary for the reliability of the electric power supply of the state.

      (4) Any application for an electric transmission line with a capacity of three hundred forty-five kilovolts or more that is filed on or after May 1, 2003, and that proposes the underground burial of such line in all residential areas and overhead installation of such line in industrial and open space areas affected by such proposal shall have a rebuttable presumption of meeting a public benefit for such facility if the facility is substantially underground, and meeting a public need for such facility if the facility is substantially above ground. Such presumption may be overcome by evidence submitted by a party or intervenor to the satisfaction of the council.

      (d) If the council determines that the location of all or a part of the proposed facility should be modified, it may condition the certificate upon such modification, provided the municipalities, and persons residing or located in such municipalities, affected by the modification shall have had notice of the application as provided in subsection (b) of section 16-50l.

      (e) In an amendment proceeding, the council shall render a decision within ninety days of the filing of the application or adoption of the resolution initiating the proceeding. The council shall file an opinion with its order stating its reasons for the decision. The council's decision shall include the findings and determinations enumerated in subsection (a) of this section which are relevant to the proposed amendment.

      (f) A copy of the order and opinion issued therewith shall be served upon each party and a notice of the issuance of the order and opinion shall be published in such newspapers as will serve substantially to inform the public of the issuance of such order and opinion. The name and address of each party shall be set forth in the order.

      (g) In making its decision as to whether or not to issue a certificate, the council shall in no way be limited by the fact that the applicant may already have acquired land or an interest therein for the purpose of constructing the facility which is the subject of its application.

      (h) For purposes of this section, a public need exists for an energy facility if such facility is necessary for the reliability of the electric power supply of the state.

      (i) For a facility described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16-50i, with a capacity of three hundred forty-five kilovolts or greater, there shall be a presumption that a proposal to place the overhead portions, if any, of such facility adjacent to residential areas, private or public schools, licensed child day care facilities, licensed youth camps or public playgrounds is inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter. An applicant may rebut this presumption by demonstrating to the council that it will be technologically infeasible to bury the facility. In determining such infeasibility, the council shall consider the effect of burying the facility on the reliability of the electric transmission system of the state.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 10; P.A. 73-340, S. 1, 2; 73-458, S. 8; P.A. 75-375, S. 7, 12; P.A. 76-320, S. 1, 2; 76-359, S. 3, 7; P.A. 77-218, S. 4; P.A. 79-537, S. 4; P.A. 80-483, S. 66, 186; P.A. 83-569, S. 5, 17; P.A. 88-121, S. 1, 3; P.A. 93-268, S. 1; P.A. 94-176, S. 3; P.A. 98-28, S. 50, 117; P.A. 01-120, S. 2, 3; P.A. 03-140, S. 10-13; 03-221, S. 6; 03-248, S. 1; 03-263, S. 6; 03-278, S. 120; P.A. 04-236, S. 6, 7; 04-246, S. 3-7.)

      History: P.A. 73-340 added Subsec. (d) re irrelevance of applicant's prior acquisition of land; P.A. 73-458 amended Subsec. (a) to clarify Subdiv. (2) by specifying "significant" adverse effects "whether alone or cumulatively ...", to add "that will provide, in accordance with the need for adequate and reliable electric service" in Subdiv. (4)(B) and to delete Subdiv. (6) re conformity of facility location to state and local laws; P.A. 75-375 amended Subsec. (a) to require decision within ten months rather than one year, to delete reference in Subdiv. (4)(B) to elimination of overhead lines in accordance with need for adequate and reliable service and to require consistency with purposes of Ch. 277a and adopted regulations as well as with federal guidelines under Subdiv. (4)(C); P.A. 76-320 made technical change in Subsec. (b) and amended Subsec. (c) to require publication of notice of issuance of order and opinion rather than publication of copy of order and opinion; P.A. 76-359 rephrased Subsec. (d); P.A. 77-218 made ten-month deadline applicable to applications for facilities in Subdivs. (1) to (4), inclusive, of Sec. 16-50i(a), imposed one-hundred-twenty-day deadline for those in Subdivs. (5) and (6) and made provision for extensions under Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-537 made clear that provisions apply to certification proceedings, inserted new Subsec. (c) re amendment proceedings and redesignated former Subsecs. (c) and (d) accordingly; P.A. 80-483 made technical changes; P.A. 83-569 amended Subsec. (a) to establish a time limit for council decisions affecting substations and switchyards; P.A. 88-121 amended Subsec. (a) increasing the council's time to render decisions on applications; P.A. 93-268 inserted new Subsec. (b) regarding factors considered in granting and conditions of a certificate for a facility described in Subdiv. (5) or (6) of Subsec. (a) of Sec. 16-50i and relettered former Subsecs. (b) to (e) as (c) to (f); P.A. 94-176 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision in Subpara. (C) of Subdiv. (4) re life-cycle cost analysis of the facility and underground alternatives; P.A. 98-28 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), added new Subsec. (c) re siting of electric generating and storage facilities and electric transmission lines which are substantially underground or underwater, and redesignated former Subsecs. (c) to (f) as Subsecs. (d) to (g), effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 01-120 amended Subsec. (a) by adding aquaculture to items in Subdiv. (2) that council must determine the probable environmental impact upon for any facility and adding provisions making the terms of any agreement between the applicant and any party to the proceeding or third party part of the record of the proceeding, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 03-140 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re feasible and prudent alternatives, effective July 1, 2003, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need filed after that date, and further amended said Subsec. to add subdiv. designators, to add "not later than" and "after the deadline for filing an application following the request-for-proposal process for" in Subdivs. (2)(A) and (2)(B), to delete reference to community antenna television and telecommunication towers in Subdiv. (2)(B), to add Subdiv. (2)(C) re deadline for issuing a decision on an application for community antenna television and telecommunication towers, to delete provisions re feasible and prudent alternatives, to add Subdiv. (3)(F) re applications heard under a consolidated hearing process, to delete provisions re terms of agreements as part of the record of the proceedings, and to make conforming changes, effective October 1, 2004, and amended Subsec. (c) to add provisions re public need for a facility that is substantially underwater in Subdiv. (2)(A), to add provisions re feasible and prudent alternatives, and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2003, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need filed after that date, and further amended said subsec. to add Subdiv. (1)(D) re applications heard under a consolidated hearing process, to delete provisions re feasible and prudent alternatives, and to add Subdiv. (2)(F) re applications heard under a consolidated hearing process, effective October 1, 2004; P.A. 03-221 added Subsec. (a)(6) re telecommunication towers proposed on land under agricultural restriction; P.A. 03-248 added Subsec. (c)(3) re rebuttable resumption for an application for certain electric transmission lines, effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 03-263 added new Subsec. (h) re definition of public need for an energy facility, effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 03-278 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (6) re facility proposed to be installed on land under agricultural restriction; P.A. 04-236 made a technical change in former version of Subsecs. (a)(4)(C) and (c)(2)(B), effective June 8, 2004; P.A. 04-246 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes, to add "including, but not limited to, electromagnetic fields that," to include references to standards and best management practices for electric and magnetic fields for electric transmission lines, and to add buffer zone requirement, amended Subsec. (c) to make technical changes and to eliminate provisions re rebuttable presumption for certain electric transmission line applications, and added Subsec. (i) re presumption re proposal for an overhead electric transmission facility with a capacity of three hundred forty-five kilovolts or greater, effective June 3, 2004, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need that was originally filed on or after October 1, 2003, for which the Connecticut Siting Council has not rendered a decision upon the record prior to June 3, 2004 (Revisor's note: In 2005, the Revisors editorially redesignated Subsec. (c)(3) as Subsec. (c)(4) to conform with technical changes made by P.A. 04-246).

      See Sec. 16a-7c re the request-for-proposal process.

      Cited. 212 C. 157, 160. Cited. 215 C. 474, 476.

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 489.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 20 CA 474, 488, 491.

      Subsec. (c):

      Cited. 177 C. 623, 626.

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      Sec. 16-50q. Judicial review. Any party may obtain judicial review of an order issued on an application for a certificate or an amendment of a certificate in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183. Any judicial review sought pursuant to this chapter shall be privileged in respect to assignment for trial in the Superior Court.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 11; 1972, P.A. 108, S. 3; P.A. 73-458, S. 9; P.A. 76-436, S. 360, 681; P.A. 77-603, S. 14, 125.)

      History: 1972 act replaced superior court with court of common pleas, effective September 1, 1972, except that courts with cases pending retain jurisdiction; P.A. 73-458 deleted provisions re rehearing on applications as intermediate step to judicial review and deleted provision re finding of facts de novo; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court and added reference to judicial districts, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-603 replaced previous provision detailing procedure for judicial review with statement that review to be obtained in accordance with Sec. 4-183.

      Since appellate review for both issuance of original certificates and for amendments thereto is provided for, it is not intended that application for amendment opens, for all purposes including appellate review, the previously issued granting of certification. 177 C. 623, 627. Cited. 212 C. 157, 161. Cited. 220 C. 516, 519, 520.

      Cited. 37 CA 653, 662, 664; judgment reversed, see 238 C. 361 et seq.

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      Sec. 16-50r. Report of forecast of loads and resources. Confidential Information. Regulations. Investigation of life-cycle costs for overhead and underground transmission lines: Scope, hearings, consultants, assessment. (a) Every person engaged in electric transmission services, as defined in section 16-1, electric generation services, as defined in said section, or electric distribution services, as defined in said section generating electric power in the state utilizing a generating facility with a capacity greater than one megawatt, shall, annually, on or before March first, file a report on a forecast of loads and resources which may consist of an update of the previous year's report with the council for its review. The report shall cover the ten-year forecast period beginning with the year of the report. Upon request, the report shall be made available to the public. The report shall include, as applicable: (1) A tabulation of estimated peak loads, resources and margins for each year; (2) data on energy use and peak loads for the five preceding calendar years; (3) a list of existing generating facilities in service; (4) a list of scheduled generating facilities for which property has been acquired, for which certificates have been issued and for which certificate applications have been filed; (5) a list of planned generating units at plant locations for which property has been acquired, or at plant locations not yet acquired, that will be needed to provide estimated additional electrical requirements, and the location of such facilities; (6) a list of planned transmission lines on which proposed route reviews are being undertaken or for which certificate applications have already been filed; (7) a description of the steps taken to upgrade existing facilities and to eliminate overhead transmission and distribution lines in accordance with the regulations and standards described in section 16-50t; and (8) for each private power producer having a facility generating more than one megawatt and from whom the person furnishing the report has purchased electricity during the preceding calendar year, a statement including the name, location, size and type of generating facility, the fuel consumed by the facility and the by-product of the consumption. Confidential, proprietary or trade secret information provided under this section may be submitted under a duly granted protective order. The council may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, that specify the expected filing requirements for persons that transmit electric power in the state, electric distribution companies, and persons that generate electric power in the state utilizing a generating facility with a capacity of greater than one megawatt. Until such regulations are adopted, persons that transmit electric power in the state shall file reports pursuant to this section that include the information requested in subdivisions (6) and (7) of this subsection; electric distribution companies in the state shall file reports pursuant to this section that include the information requested in subdivisions (1), (2), (7) and (8) of this subsection; persons that generate electric power in the state utilizing a generating facility with a capacity greater than one megawatt shall file reports pursuant to this section that include the information requested in subdivisions (3), (4), (5) and (8) of this subsection. The council shall hold a public hearing on such filed forecast reports annually. The council shall conduct a review in an executive session of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information submitted under a protective order during such a hearing. At least one session of such hearing shall be held after six-thirty p.m. Upon reviewing such forecast reports, the council may issue its own report assessing the overall status of loads and resources in the state. If the council issues such a report, it shall be made available to the public and shall be furnished to each member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and technology, any other member of the General Assembly making a written request to the council for the report and such other state and municipal bodies as the council may designate.

      (b) On October 1, 1994, and not less than once every five years thereafter, the council shall establish a proceeding to investigate and determine life-cycle costs for both overhead and underground transmission line alternatives. The council shall determine the schedule and scope of the investigation at a publicly noticed meeting held not earlier than ninety days preceding the first public hearing on the matter. The scope of the investigation shall include, but not be limited to, an inquiry of all relevant life-cycle costs, relative reliability, constraints concerning access and construction, potential damage to the environment and compatibility with the existing electric supply system. As part of the investigation the council shall hold public hearings which shall afford all interested parties opportunity to be heard. At least one public hearing shall be held after six-thirty p.m.

      (c) An investigation conducted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may include the retention of consultants, manufacturers and other experts necessary for the council to objectively determine the range of life-cycle costs of such alternatives. No such consultant, manufacturer or expert shall have any financial interest in, or, in the twelve months preceding the investigation, have engaged in any business, employment or professional activity for compensation with a corporation, company, association, joint stock association, partnership or person, or lessee thereof, owning, leasing, maintaining, operating, managing or controlling poles, wires, conduits or other fixtures, along public highways or streets, for the transmission or distribution of electric current for sale for light, heat or power within the state, or with a person, firm or corporation which manufactures such poles, wires, conduits or other fixtures. The council shall apportion and assess its expenses for consultants, hearing facilities, stenographic reports and other reasonable and necessary expenses of conducting such an investigation among those persons, firms and corporations having gross revenues from the retail sale of electric power in excess of one hundred thousand dollars during the preceding calendar year. The council shall assess each such person, firm or corporation in proportion of its gross revenues to the aggregate gross revenues of all such persons, firms and corporations. Each person, firm or corporation subject to an assessment shall pay its assessed amount not later than thirty days after receiving notice of its assessment or as specified by the council. Prior to incurring expenses for which assessments shall be made under this subsection, the council shall review the anticipated expenses at a public meeting, notice of which shall be given to each person, firm or corporation subject to an assessment. A person, firm or corporation may object to an assessment made pursuant to this subsection by filing with the council, not later than thirty days after receiving notice of its assessment, a petition stating the amount of the assessment to which it objects and the grounds upon which it claims such assessment is excessive, erroneous, unlawful or invalid. Upon the request of the petitioner, the council shall hold a hearing. After reviewing the company's petition and testimony, if any, the council shall issue an order in accordance with its findings. The petitioner shall pay the council the amount indicated in the order not later than thirty days after the date of the order.

      (d) The council shall remit all payments received pursuant to this section to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Siting Council Fund. Such payments shall be accounted for as expenses recovered from electric power suppliers. All payments made under this section shall be in addition to any taxes payable to the state under chapters 211, 212, 212a and 219.

      (e) An assessment unpaid on the due date or any portion of an assessment withheld after the due date under this section shall be subject to interest at the rate of one and one-fourth per cent per month or fraction thereof.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 13; P.A. 75-486, S. 18, 69; P.A. 76-323, S. 1, 2; P.A. 78-119; P.A. 79-214, S. 4; P.A. 81-439, S. 5, 14; P.A. 82-222, S. 5, 7; P.A. 89-291, S. 7; P.A. 94-176, S. 2; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 103, 130; P.A. 96-46, S. 2; P.A. 01-144.)

      History: P.A. 75-486 required filing of description of methodology used to arrive at load forecasts; P.A. 76-323 replaced requirement that report be furnished to "persons listed in subdivision (2)(A) of section 16-50l(b)" with list of persons, departments, agencies etc. to receive report and added provision re hearings to be held on reports; P.A. 78-119 changed filing deadline from January to March, replaced twenty-year period "next succeeding the date" of report with period "beginning with the year" of report and added new Subdiv. (2) re data on energy use and peak loads for five previous years, renumbering former Subdivs. (2) to (6), inclusive, accordingly; P.A. 79-214 added Subsec. (b) re simplified statements of loads and resources by producers using cogeneration technology; P.A. 81-439 excepted private power producers from ten-year forecast requirement, repealed Subsec. (b), eliminating reporting by person producing electricity by cogeneration or use of renewable fuel resources and added provision requiring report by purchaser of electricity from private power producer having facility generating more than one megawatt; P.A. 82-222 required forecast report to be furnished only to senate president, house speaker, energy committee members and other general assembly members requesting it, instead of to all general assembly members; P.A. 89-291 changed annual report from ten-year to a twenty-year forecast of loads and resources; P.A. 94-176 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and changed reference from Subsec. (f) to Subsec. (j) of Sec. 16-50j and added Subsecs. (b) to (e) re investigation of life-cycle costs for overhead and underground transmission line alternatives; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (c) by making technical change; P.A. 96-46 amended Subsec. (a) to allow a forecast report to consist of an update of the previous year's report, to delete requirement that reports be furnished to certain officials and to add provision re issuance of a report by the council assessing overall status of loads and resources to certain members of the General Assembly; P.A. 01-144 amended Subsec. (a) to change application of the subsection from every person engaged in generating electric power to every person engaged in electric transmission, generation, or distribution services utilizing a generating facility with a capacity of greater than one megawatt, delete exception for private power producers, delete report content requirements and change the forecast period for the report from twenty years to ten years, provide that confidential, proprietary or trade secret information provided under section may be submitted under a protective order, allow the council to adopt regulations to specify filing requirements for transmitters, generators, and distributors, require certain information from transmitters, generators, and distributors in the report until such regulations are adopted, and require the council to review any information submitted under a protective order in an executive session (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (a), certain references to subdivisions of "this section" were changed editorially by the Revisors to "this subsection" for accuracy).

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      Sec. 16-50s. Expenditures by utilities as consideration in proceedings. The council may give appropriate consideration in all proceedings to (1) the amounts expended by a utility for research on generation and transmission of the form of energy furnished by it and the environmental effect thereof, (2) the amounts expended by such utility for promotion, including advertising, of the use of the form of energy furnished by it and (3) the relationship between such expenditures.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 14.)

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      Sec. 16-50t. Regulations and standards. Hearing. Certain expenditures excluded in computation of fair net return. (a) The council shall prescribe and establish such reasonable regulations and standards in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 as it deems necessary and in the public interest with respect to application fees, siting of facilities and environmental standards applicable to facilities, including, but not limited to, regulations or standards relating to: (1) Reliability, effluents, thermal effects, air and water emissions, protection of fish and wildlife and other environmental factors; (2) the methodical upgrading or elimination of facilities over appropriate periods of time to meet the standards established pursuant to this subsection or other applicable laws, standards or regulations; and (3) the elimination of overhead electric transmission and distribution lines over appropriate periods of time in accordance with existing applicable technology and the need to provide electric service at the lowest reasonable cost to consumers.

      (b) The council may adopt regulations or standards in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, with respect to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section. Such regulations or standards shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any regulation or standard adopted by any other state or local agency or instrumentality. No such regulation or standard shall be adopted by the council without one or more public hearings at which members of the public are given adequate opportunity to be heard.

      (c) The council shall adopt, and revise as the council deems necessary, standards for best management practices for electric and magnetic fields for electric transmission lines. Such standards shall be based on the latest completed and ongoing scientific and medical research on electromagnetic fields and shall require individual, project-specific assessments of electromagnetic fields, taking into consideration design techniques including, but not limited to, compact spacing, optimum phasing of conductors, and applicable and appropriate new field management technologies. Such standards shall not be regulations for purposes of chapter 54.

      (d) Expenditures by a utility shall not be considered a necessary and proper expense for the purpose of computing fair net return on invested capital, if such expenditures were incurred (1) for fines, forfeitures and other penalties, including legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection therewith, imposed for failure to comply with any state or federal environmental or pollution standard or (2) in connection with any action described in subsection (a) of section 16-50k prior to issuance of a certificate therefor.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 15; P.A. 73-458, S. 10; P.A. 75-375, S. 8, 12; P.A. 88-317, S. 62, 107; P.A. 04-246, S. 10.)

      History: P.A. 73-458 replaced references to repealed Secs. 4-41 to 4-50 with reference to Secs. 4-166 to 4-185, qualified requirement that overhead lines be eliminated in Subsec. (a)(3) with "in accordance with existing applicable technology" and replaced reference in Subsec. (b) to Subdivs. (2) and (3) of Subsec. (a) with reference to Subdivs. (1) and (2); P.A. 75-375 deleted "methodical" referring to elimination of overhead lines in Subsec. (a) (3) and added provision for regulations on "the need to provide electric service at the lowest reasonable cost to consumers"; P.A. 88-317 substituted "chapter 54" for "sections 4-166 to 4-185, inclusive," in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date; P.A. 04-246 added new Subsec. (c) re adoption of standards for best management practices for electric and magnetic fields for electric transmission lines, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as new Subsec. (d) and made a technical change therein, effective June 3, 2004, and applicable to applications for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need that was originally filed on or after October 1, 2003, for which the Connecticut Siting Council has not rendered a decision upon the record prior to June 3, 2004.

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      Sec. 16-50u. Enforcement of certificate and standards requirements. The council shall take reasonable steps to insure that each facility for which a certificate has been issued is constructed, maintained and operated in compliance with such certificate and any other standards established pursuant to this chapter. Whenever the council deems it necessary to verify such compliance and whenever the meeting of any such other standards involves expenses, the person to whom such certificate has been issued shall be charged with and pay such expenses. The courts are authorized to grant such restraining orders, and such temporary and permanent injunctive relief, as may be necessary to secure compliance with this chapter and with a certificate issued pursuant to this chapter. The courts may assess civil penalties in an amount not less than one thousand dollars per day for each day of construction or operation in material violation of this chapter, or in material violation of any certificate issued pursuant to this chapter. Civil proceedings to enforce this chapter may be brought by the Attorney General in the superior court for any judicial district affected by the violation. The remedies and penalties in this section shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to any other penalties and remedies available at law, or in equity, to any person.

      (1971, P.A. 575, S. 16; P.A. 73-458, S. 11; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127.)

      History: P.A. 73-458 substituted "established pursuant to this chapter" for "applicable to such facility" as phrase modifying "standards"; P.A. 78-280 replaced "county" with "judicial district".

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      Sec. 16-50v. Administration expenses. Assessments. Fees. Staff. Consultants. Studies. (a) All expenses of administering this chapter, including the functions of the council and its staff, shall be financed as provided in this section.

      (b) (1) Before December thirty-first of each year, the council shall review the anticipated amount of expenses attributable to energy facilities for the next fiscal year, excluding expenses under subsection (c), (d), (e), (g) or (h) of this section at a public meeting, notice of which shall be given to each person subject to assessment under this subsection, and at which interested persons shall be heard. After the meeting, the council shall determine the anticipated amount of such expenses and submit its determination to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. After the committee completes its review, the council shall apportion and assess the anticipated amount of expenses among those persons having gross revenue from the sale of electric power at retail in the state in excess of one hundred thousand dollars during the preceding calendar year, in the proportion which the gross revenue of each such person bears to the aggregate gross revenues of all such persons. Each such person shall pay the assessment in three equal installments on or before July thirty-first, October thirty-first, and January thirty-first of the fiscal year. During the fiscal year the council may further apportion and assess the additional amount of such expenses as could not reasonably have been anticipated prior to the fiscal year, apportioned in the same manner after notice and hearing in the same manner. The total of such assessments for any fiscal year shall not exceed one million dollars. No proceeds from any assessment under this subsection may be used by the council after June 30, 1984, for any proceedings concerning hazardous waste facilities.

      (2) As used in this subdivision, "communications services" means services involving transmitting or receiving signals in the electromagnetic spectrum for a public or commercial purpose pursuant to a Federal Communications Commission license. Before December thirty-first of each year, the council shall review the anticipated amount of administrative expenses attributable to facilities used for providing communications services for the next fiscal year, excluding expenses under subsection (c), (d), (e), (g) or (h) of this section, at a public meeting, notice of which shall be given to each person subject to assessment under this subsection, and at which int