403.526 Preliminary statements of issues, reports, and project analyses; studies.—
(1) Each affected agency that is required to file a report in accordance with this section shall submit a preliminary statement of issues to the department and all parties no later than the submittal of each agency’s recommendation that the application is complete. The failure to raise an issue in this preliminary statement of issues does not preclude the issue from being raised in the agency’s report.
(2)(a) No later than 90 days after the filing of the application, the following agencies shall prepare reports as provided below, unless a final order denying the determination of need has been issued under s. 403.537:
1. The department shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor as it relates to matters within its jurisdiction.
2. Each water management district in the jurisdiction of which a proposed transmission line or corridor is to be located shall prepare a report as to the impact on water resources and other matters within its jurisdiction.
3. The Department of Commerce shall prepare a report containing recommendations which address the impact upon the public of the proposed transmission line or corridor, based on the degree to which the proposed transmission line or corridor is consistent with the applicable portions of the state comprehensive plan, emergency management, and other matters within its jurisdiction. The Department of Commerce may also comment on the consistency of the proposed transmission line or corridor with applicable strategic regional policy plans or local comprehensive plans and land development regulations.
4. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor on fish and wildlife resources and other matters within its jurisdiction.
5. Each local government shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor on matters within its jurisdiction, including the consistency of the proposed transmission line or corridor with all applicable local ordinances, regulations, standards, or criteria that apply to the proposed transmission line or corridor, including local comprehensive plans, zoning regulations, land development regulations, and any applicable local environmental regulations adopted pursuant to s. 403.182 or by other means. A change by the responsible local government or local agency in local comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, or other regulations made after the date required for the filing of the local government’s report required by this section is not applicable to the certification of the proposed transmission line or corridor unless the certification is denied or the application is withdrawn.
6. The Department of Transportation shall prepare a report as to the impact of the proposed transmission line or corridor on state roads, railroads, airports, aeronautics, seaports, and other matters within its jurisdiction.
7. The commission shall prepare a report containing its determination under s. 403.537, and the report may include the comments from the commission with respect to any other subject within its jurisdiction.
8. Any other agency, if requested by the department, shall also perform studies or prepare reports as to subjects within the jurisdiction of the agency which may potentially be affected by the proposed transmission line.
(b) Each report must contain:
1. A notice of any nonprocedural requirements not specifically listed in the application from which a variance, exemption, exception, or other relief is necessary in order for the proposed corridor to be certified. Failure to include the notice shall be treated as a waiver from the nonprocedural requirements of that agency.
2. A recommendation for approval or denial of the application.
3. The proposed conditions of certification on matters within the jurisdiction of each agency. For each condition proposed by an agency, the agency shall list the specific statute, rule, or ordinance, as applicable, which authorizes the proposed condition.
(c) Each reviewing agency shall initiate the activities required by this section no later than 15 days after the application is filed. Each agency shall keep the applicant and the department informed as to the progress of its studies and any issues raised thereby.
(d) When an agency whose agency head is a collegial body, such as a commission, board, or council, is required to submit a report pursuant to this section and is required by its own internal procedures to have the report reviewed by its agency head prior to finalization, the agency may submit to the department a draft version of the report by the deadline indicated in paragraph (a), and shall submit a final version of the report after review by the agency head, no later than 15 days after the deadline indicated in paragraph (a).
(e) Receipt of an affirmative determination of need from the commission by the submittal deadline for agency reports under paragraph (a) is a condition precedent to further processing of the application.
(3) The department shall prepare a project analysis containing a compilation of agency reports and summaries of the material contained therein which shall be filed with the administrative law judge and served on all parties no later than 115 days after the application is filed, and which shall include:
(a) A statement indicating whether the proposed electric transmission line will be in compliance with the rules of the department and affected agencies.
(b) The studies and reports required by this section and s. 403.537.
(c) Comments received from any other agency or person.
(d) The recommendation of the department as to the disposition of the application, of variances, exemptions, exceptions, or other relief identified by any party, and of any proposed conditions of certification which the department believes should be imposed.
(4) The failure of any agency to submit a preliminary statement of issues or a report, or to submit its preliminary statement of issues or report within the allowed time, is not grounds for the alteration of any time limitation in this act under s. 403.528. The failure to submit a preliminary statement of issues or a report, or the inadequacy of the preliminary statement of issues or report, is not grounds to deny or condition certification.
History.—s. 1, ch. 80-65; s. 39, ch. 81-167; s. 41, ch. 83-55; s. 7, ch. 83-222; s. 34, ch. 90-331; s. 390, ch. 94-356; s. 15, ch. 95-149; s. 149, ch. 96-410; s. 209, ch. 99-245; s. 53, ch. 2006-230; s. 83, ch. 2007-5; s. 87, ch. 2008-227; s. 290, ch. 2011-142; s. 23, ch. 2015-30; s. 129, ch. 2024-6.
