690-315-0050 Department Action on Extension Applications If the Department finds an applicant has submitted a completed application as required in 690-315-0020 or 690-315-0030, the Department shall process the application as established in this rule. (1) The Department shall publish notice of the extension application in its weekly public notice prior to issuance of a proposed final order on the extension request. The notice shall include a request for comments on the application, the date by which comments must be received by the Department and information about how an interested person may review or obtain a copy of the application. The comment period shall be at least 30 days. The notice shall also include the following information about the permit and the extension application: (a) Applicant name and address; (b) Amount of water use permitted in gallons per minute (gpm), cubic feet per second (cfs) or acre feet (af) of storage; (c) Common name of water source(s) listed in the permit; (d) Permit number; (e) Use allowed in the permit; (f) Proposed extended date of completion; and (g) A statement that copy fees are required to receive a proposed final order. (2) After consideration of the administrative record, including but not limited to any comments filed on the extension application, the Department shall issue a proposed final order granting the extension request, with or without additional conditions, or denying the extension request. The Department is not required to respond directly to comments, but may respond to the issue, if applicable and relevant to the decision, within the proposed final order. (3) The Department shall send the proposed final order issued under subsection (2) of this rule to the applicant by regular mail, or with the consent of the recipient, by electronic means. The Department shall send a copy of the proposed final order by regular mail to any person other than the applicant who submitted comments and has paid the copy fee required under ORS 536.050. The Department shall also publish notice of the proposed final order in the weekly notice published by the Department. (4) Permit time extensions may be granted for the reasonable time necessary to complete water development or apply all the water to beneficial use. (5) Extension orders may include, but are not limited to, any condition or provision needed to: (a) Ensure future diligence; (b) Mitigate the effects of the subsequent development on competing demands on the resource; and (c) Periodically document the continued need for the permit. (6) For extensions exceeding five years, the Department shall establish checkpoints to determine if diligence is being exercised in the development and perfection of the water use permit. Intervals between checkpoints will not exceed five year periods. (a) At each checkpoint, the permit holder shall submit and the Department shall review evidence of the permit holder's diligence towards completion of the project and compliance with terms and conditions of the permit and extension. If, after this review, the Department determines the permit holder has not been diligent in developing and perfecting the water use permit, or complied with all terms and conditions, the Department shall modify or further condition the permit or extension to ensure future compliance, or begin cancellation proceedings on the undeveloped portion of the permit pursuant to ORS 537.260 or 537.410, or require submission of a final proof survey pursuant to ORS 537.250; (b) The Department shall provide notice of receipt of progress reports described in subsection (6)(a) of this rule in its weekly notice and shall allow a 30 day comment period for each report. The Department shall provide notice of its determination to anyone who submitted comments. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 536.025 & 536.027 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 536.050, 537.230, 537.248, 537.630 & 539.010 History: WRD 1-2012, f. 1-31-12, cert. ef. 2-1-12 WRD 4-1998, f. & cert. ef. 11-2-98