Source: https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/537.153
Timestamp: 2016-12-03 19:47:28
Document Index: 181558020

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 537', '§11', '§2', '§5', '§2', '§7', '§5']

ORS 537.153 - Review of application - 2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
2015 ORS § 537.153¹
• presumption that use will not impair or be detrimental to public interest
(1) Within 60 days after the Water Resources Department proceeds with the application under ORS 537.150 (Filing of application) (5), the department shall complete application review and issue a proposed final order approving or denying the application or approving the application with modifications or conditions. The department may request the applicant to provide additional information needed to complete the review. If the department requests additional information, the request shall be specific and shall be sent to the applicant by registered mail. The department shall specify a date by which the information must be returned, which shall be not less than 10 days after the department mails the request to the applicant. If the department does not receive the information or a request for a time extension under ORS 537.175 (Time limit for issuing final order or scheduling contested case hearing) by the date specified in the request, the department may reject the application and may refund fees in accordance with ORS 536.050 (Fees) (4)(a). The time period specified by the department in a request for additional information shall allow the department to comply with the 60-day time limit established by this subsection.
(2) In reviewing the application under subsection (1) of this section, the department shall presume that a proposed use will not impair or be detrimental to the public interest if the proposed use is allowed in the applicable basin program established pursuant to ORS 536.300 (Formulation of state water resources program) and 536.340 (Classification of water as to highest and best use and quantity of use) or given a preference under ORS 536.310 (Purposes and policies to be considered in formulating state water resources program) (12), if water is available, if the proposed use will not injure other water rights and if the proposed use complies with rules of the Water Resources Commission. This shall be a rebuttable presumption and may be overcome by a preponderance of evidence that either:
(b) The proposed use will impair or be detrimental to the public interest as demonstrated in comments, in a protest under subsection (6) of this section or in a finding of the department that shows:
(A) The specific public interest under ORS 537.170 (Contested case hearing on application) (8) that would be impaired or detrimentally affected; and
(e) An assessment of whether the proposed use would impair or be detrimental to the public interest as provided in ORS 537.170 (Contested case hearing on application);
(g) Whether the rebuttable presumption that the proposed use will not impair or be detrimental to the public interest has been established; and
(h) The date by which protests to the proposed final order must be received by the department.
(4) The department shall mail copies of the proposed final order to the applicant and to persons who have requested copies and paid the fee required under ORS 536.050 (Fees) (1)(p). The department also shall publish notice of the proposed final order by publication in the weekly notice published by the department.
(5) Any person who supports a proposed final order may request standing for purposes of participating in any contested case proceeding on the proposed final order or for judicial review of a final order. A request for standing shall be in writing and shall be accompanied by the fee established under ORS 536.050 (Fees) (1)(n).
(6) Any person may submit a protest against a proposed final order. A protest shall be in writing and shall include:
(b) A description of the protestants interest in the proposed final order and, if the protestant claims to represent the public interest, a precise statement of the public interest represented;
(7) Requests for standing and protests on the proposed final order shall be submitted within 45 days after publication of the notice of the proposed final order in the weekly notice published by the department. Any person who asks to receive a copy of the departments final order shall submit to the department the fee required under ORS 536.050 (Fees) (1)(p), unless the person has previously requested copies and paid the required fee under ORS 537.150 (Filing of application) (7), the person is a protestant and has paid the fee required under ORS 536.050 (Fees) (1)(j) or the person has standing and has paid the fee under ORS 536.050 (Fees) (1)(n).
(8) Within 60 days after the close of the period for receiving protests, the Water Resources Director shall:
(a) Issue a final order as provided under ORS 537.170 (Contested case hearing on application) (6); or
(B) Within 30 days after the close of the period for submitting protests, the applicant requests a contested case hearing. [1995 c.416 §11; 1997 c.446 §2; 1997 c.587 §5; 2007 c.188 §2; 2009 c.819 §§7,14; 2013 c.644 §5]
Note: 537.153 (Review of application), 537.173 (Exceptions to final order) and 537.175 (Time limit for issuing final order or scheduling contested case hearing) were added to and made a part of 537.145 (Notice of filing of application to appropriate water for hydroelectric purposes) to 537.240 (Federal permit) by legislative action but were not added to any smaller series therein. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.