The Committee believes that a 12-month schedule is appropriate in this case to allow adequate time for issue resolution and public participation. Considering the comments and questions raised at the Informational Hearing, it is apparent that there is heightened public interest in this proceeding. The Committee finds, therefore, that the potential benefits of expediting the schedule are outweighed by the statutory mandate to provide an open and participatory public process. The following Committee Schedule lists the initial events that must occur in order to conclude the certification review in a timely manner. The remainder of the schedule will be determined after the PSA is issued.
Several deadlines are contingent upon reviews to be conducted by federal, state, and local agencies.
The Committee recognizes that completion of these reviews may necessitate schedule modifications. The Committee encourages Applicant to provide sufficient review time for the responsible agencies to meet these deadlines. The Committee may modify the schedule at any time either upon its own motion or that of a party. Code of Regs. The schedule requires periodic status reports from the parties to determine whether case development is progressing satisfactorily, and to bring potential schedule delays or other relevant matters to the Committee's attention.