HF 1622

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/09/2015 02:01pm

A bill for an act
relating to energy; requiring a decision regarding issuance of a certificate of need
to be made at a public meeting near the site of the proposed facility; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 216B.243, subdivision 5.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 216B.243, subdivision 5, is amended to
read:

Subd. 5.

Approval, denial, or modification.

new text begin (a) new text end Within 12 months of the
submission of an application, the commission shall approve or deny a certificate of need
for the facility. Approval or denial of the certificate shall be accompanied by a statement
of the reasons for the decision. Issuance of the certificate may be made contingent upon
modifications required by the commission. If the commission has not issued an order on
the application within the 12 months provided, the commission may extend the time
period upon receiving the consent of the parties or on its own motion, for good cause, by
issuing an order explaining the good cause justification for extension.

new text begin (b) The commission's decision to approve, deny, or modify a certificate of need must
be made at a public meeting held during weekday evening hours after 7 p.m., or during the
day on Saturday, at a location that is convenient for persons who live within ten miles of
the site of the proposed facility. If no location meets this condition, the public meeting
must be held where the county board of the county in which the facility is proposed to
be sited holds its meetings. The commission must give at least ten days' notice of the
public meeting by providing notice to persons on the project contact list maintained by
the commission and by publishing notice of the meeting in a legal newspaper of general
circulation in the area in which the facility is proposed to be sited.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end